What happens when a homerun is hit and a runner ahead of the hitter misses home plate?

by Jody
(Maine)

Jody asked: A runner on first heads to home when the batter hits a homerun.

The runner on first misses home plate but the batter who hit the homerun touches the plate.

The pitcher asks for the ball and tags homeplate and the ump calls the first runner out.

Rick answered: Jody, thank you for your question!

The rule which covers this situation is Rule 9 Scoring-Record Keeping Sec 1..How a Team Scores

A runner scores one run each time he legally advances to and touches first, second, third and home plate before there are three outs to end the inning.

Since there was a homerun, there is a dead ball situation. The runners are able to complete their run around the bases, the umpire calls time. A coach or any defensive player, with or without the ball, may make a verbal appeal on a runner missing a base or leaving a base too soon on a caught fly ball.

The administering umpire should make the call on the play.

If there are less than 2 outs, the runner who missed the base is called out; but the batter/runner's run is counted, as is his homerun and rbi.

If there were 2 outs, the runner who missed the base is called out, for out number 3, inning over.

Homerun does not count, batter is credited with a single, double or triple. I am not sure which he gets credit for. Since the runner mssed home plate, I would say the batter gets a triple.

Yours in baseball,

Rick