ground rule double

noun

Baseball.

1. a safe hit ruled for two bases according to the rules of a particular stadium, as when a fly ball bounces once in the outfield and then clears a fence.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ground rule double¹

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50

Example Sentences

But instead of allowing Straw and Barger to score, the play was ruled to be a ground rule double,, external putting the runners on second and third.

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A ground rule double is typically signalled when a ball hit fair is deemed to be impossible to field in the layout of a particular stadium, such as when it becomes trapped under a tarpaulin, and runners are allowed to advance by two bases.

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Despite a home run from outfielder Randal Grichuk and a ninth-inning RBI ground rule double from Brandon Drury, the Angels fell to the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Saturday night for their fifth consecutive loss.

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The Mets unsuccessfully appealed and Nimmo was credited with a ground rule double.

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After Smyly left in the eighth, Manuel Rodríguez gave up Evan Longoria’s bases-loaded ground rule double to kill a shutout bid.

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