Innings

A full game

A game that is not cut short lasts until the trailing club has had the chance to make 27 outs. That is nine innings. If the home club is leading after the visitor makes three outs in the top of the ninth, the home club does not bat.

When it counts

The glossary calls a game official once the visitor has made 15 outs and the home club is leading, or once the home club has made 15 outs, whatever the score. Fifteen outs is five innings.

If weather ends an official game and the home club is leading, the result stands. If the home club is behind and the inning is not one in which the visitor has just taken the lead, the result also stands. A tie, or an inning in which the visitor has taken the lead, is suspended and finished later from that point.

Extra innings

If the clubs are tied after each has made 27 outs, play continues. It ends when the home club takes the lead, or when the visitor takes the lead and the home club then makes three outs without tying the game or going ahead.