Law 18: Pitching Record

The winning pitcher is the one in the game when his team takes the lead it keeps to the end.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1 · recall

Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new game for deciding the winning pitcher.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1.1 · recall

A starting pitcher must pitch at least the minimum innings given in Appendix A2.2 to claim the win.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1.4 · recall

A reliever needs to pitch at least one complete inning, or be on the mound for a fundamental and crucial out.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1.6 · recall

The scorer does not credit a brief and ineffective reliever; the win goes to the later reliever who pitched effectively.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1.8 · applied

A complete game goes to the pitcher who starts and finishes, pitching every defensive inning without a reliever.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.4.1 · recall

A shutout is a complete game with no runs allowed; having pitched every out without a run, he must also be the winner.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.4.2 · recall

The tie makes it a new game, so the win is decided afresh from the moment the team goes ahead again.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1.1, 18.2.1.2 · recall

Every inning, no runs, and the win: that is a shutout.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.4 · recall

When the opponents tie or go ahead, every pitcher already removed is excluded from the win.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.1.2 · applied

The losing pitcher is the one responsible for the run that gives the opponents the lead they keep to the end.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.2 · recall

A pitcher is charged with every run scored by runners he left on base, even if they score off a later pitcher.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.2.2 · applied

To earn a save, the reliever must be the pitcher who finishes the game his team wins.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.3.1 · recall

A pitcher credited with the save cannot be the winning pitcher.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.3.2 · recall

A save needs at least one-third of an inning pitched, plus one of the listed situations.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.3.3 · recall

A reliever who enters, whatever the score, with the possible tying run on base or among the first two batters meets a save condition.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.3.4 · applied

A tie wipes the slate clean for the loss as well as for the win.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.2.1 · recall

Finishing the win, not being the winner, at least one out, and a lead of three runs or fewer with an inning pitched: a save.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.3 · recall

Runs scored by runners a pitcher left on base are his, so the go-ahead run, and the loss, are his too.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.2, 18.2.2.2 · applied

He finished the win, was not the winner, and came in with a lead of three or fewer for at least an inning.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.2.3 · applied

An earned run is one the pitcher is responsible for: it scores with the help of hits, walks, steals, sacrifices, outs and the like.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.1 · recall

Earned runs are found by reconstructing the inning without the passed balls and errors.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.2 · recall

When a fielder is charged with an error, the pitcher always gets the benefit of the doubt in deciding earned runs.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.2 · recall

A run scored by a batter who reached first on a fielding error is not an earned run.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.3.1.1 · applied

A run scored by a batter awarded first on catcher's interference does not count as earned.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.3.1.3 · applied

The balk is among the plays that can produce an earned run, along with hits, walks, steals and wild pitches.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.1 · applied

A run that would not have scored without an advance on an error or passed ball is not earned.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.3.3 · applied

Without the error the inning would have ended, so neither run is charged as earned.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.2, 18.3.3.1.1 · applied

A walk, a steal and a hit are all the pitcher's responsibility, so the run is earned.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.1 · applied

The inning should have ended on that throw; runs that follow such an error with two out are not earned.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.3.3.1.1 · applied

Runs scored by runners on base when the reliever came in are not charged to him.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.1 · applied

With the batter ahead in the count (2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1 or 3-2), a walk is charged to the previous pitcher.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.2.1 · applied

With counts like 1-1, 2-2 or 0-2, the batter and whatever he does are charged to the reliever.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.2.3 · applied

Only a walk is charged back to the previous pitcher; a hit or any other result goes to the reliever.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.2.2 · applied

A reliever does not get the benefit of earlier out opportunities that were not taken when his earned runs are worked out.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.3 · recall

Because each reliever is charged only with what he alone caused, a run can be earned for him and unearned for the team.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.3.2 · recall

A 2-2 count is not in the batter's favour, so the walk is the reliever's.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.2.3 · applied

A walk on a count already in the batter's favour goes to the pitcher who built that count.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.2.1 · recall

Anything other than a walk, a hit included, belongs to the reliever.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.2.2 · recall

Both runners were Pitcher 1's: whoever lets them score, the runs stay on his line.

Source: WBSC ORB 2025-2026, Rule 18.4.1 · applied