text: joebodyman
  Do we win or do we lose
  Here is the situation. Bottom of the seventh inning, game tied, with one out and runners on 2nd and 3rd base. Fly ball hit to shallow left field. Runner on 3rd tags up and prepares to run home. Runner on 2nd base heads for 3rd base and doesn't tag up. Ball is caught for the second out and the runner on 3rd goes home. The runner who was at second going to third immediately heads back to second base but is thrown out before he reaches 2nd for the third out. The runner who tagged up at third has already crossed home plate before the out at second. Question: Does the run count because he scored before the third out or are we playing extra innings because the run doesn't count after the 3rd out?
  If the correct call was made, you are a WINNER and the game is over ... The most frequent mistake made in this factual circumstance is that many people erroneously think that the play on the runner returning to 2B is a "force play", and the run does not when the last out of the inning is by a force out ... This is NOT A FORCE PLAY, which can ONLY occur when a runner is required to ADVANCE to the NEXT base ... He is obligated to return to the previous base to tag up, but that's NOT the next base ...
  This is a "live ball appeal" .. The timing of when the runner returning to the base is doubled up as compared to the timing of the runner from 3B crossing the scoring line (or touching the scoring plate) determines the proper ruling ... As your facts were presented, your team scored what should have been ruled the winning run ...
  The defensive team could still appeal that the runner on 3rd left early and if won appeal would be awarded the 4th out
  While that is a true statement, it was not a component of the hypothetical fact pattern presented. The runner from 3B tagged up properly and scored before the runner from 2B was doubled up.
  Joebodyman, the run scores, game over. It's a timing play, not a force out.
  The umpire called it correctly but there was a lot of discussion on whether the out at second base was a force out or not. I just wanted to get clarification because the umpire didn't really clarify his ruling to both teams. Thanks for the comments.
  Hey Dave, in this case if they would have appealed runner leaving early from second, would that have not stopped the runner from scoring? then that would have been 3rd out, next inning
  grayhitter59 - This is a timing play if runner scored before appeal is made or ball is thrown to 2nd for live ball appeal run counts. Not a force out!!!
  There is a lot of confusion between a force out and what we in the Midwest call a force play (can throw the ball back to the bag and tag the bag as one form of appeal); I will stop that discussion here as not everyone agrees on terminology. I actually had a pitcher correctly live ball appeal the runner leaving early before the other run (tagged up on his bag) scored. My partner has umpired 50 years, and he said that he had never seen it done correctly before either. Kudos to that pitcher; it was amazing and a one and only for us.
  TexasTransplant has stated the best (by far) simple rule to remember this rule situation • You can't have a force play once the batter has been retired. ... Thanks TT!