The batter at the plate
A question for baseball fans.
We have these terms - tying run and go-ahead run. These can be used to talk about the actual “run” (event?), or metonymically for the batter who, as they say, “represents” that run.
Now, I was watching game 1 of the world series this evening, and when I started watching, the Sox were up by 1, and it stayed like this for a long stretch of time (until the Sox scored another run). Not once did I hear anything about the “tying run” being at the place, probably for the good reason that when a team is 1 down, every batter is the tying run, so there’s no point in using that terminology. In fact, it seems like a more likely time to talk about, say, the tying run is a situation like this: a team (is at bat and) is down by some n > 1, and a batter gets on base. The next batter is then the tying run. Similarly, if a team is 1 down and someone is on base, then the batter at the plate is then the go-ahead run. I’m right on this, right? (Just checking) (Also, I’d guess that as the game gets closer to the end, these phrases get used more often, as who exactly is ahead of who becomes increasingly more important)
Now, how about this situation? It’s (oh, say) the top of the fifth inning, and home team is up by 3. One man is on, and then a 2-run homer is hit, so now they’re only 1 down. Would it be likely (appropriate) to talk about the next guy up as the “tying run”? Or is it too early in the game? Maybe there’s a more appropriate way to talk about it? Anyone? Contrast this with the situation where the batting team is down by 3, and there are two men on base - is the batter then the “tying run”? Any difference?
I generally think of tying run and go-ahead run as coming into play only once you have enough people on base to make that happen.
Say the Red Sox are down 4–6. Ortiz walks, putting and Manny is batting. At that point, you might talk about Manny being the tying run. However if he hits a bloop single to right, and Ortiz makes it around to third, you definately start talking about having the tying run on first base, and Trot comes up as the go-ahead run. (And hopefully he crushes one over the fence …)
You could say the tying run is always at bat in a one-run game, but it doesn’t feel right for some reason. And you’re right about who is up and how late it is in the game does play a role about when such terms are/should be used ..