passed ball
noun
: a baseball pitch not hit by the batter that passes the catcher when it should have been caught and allows a base runner to advance
one of his trick pitches shot by his catcher for a passed ball—
John Drebinger
compare wild pitch
John DrebingerExamples of passed ball in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Saguaro had the bases loaded in the fourth after a batter reached on a strikeout passed ball.
—Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 15 May 2023
Arroyo advanced to second on a sacrifice by Wong (3 for 4), reached third on a Zunino passed ball, and scored when Verdugo grounded his seventh career walkoff hit through the left side of the infield for the 10th Red Sox comeback win of the year.
—Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023
Hayes doubled and advanced on Fortes’ passed ball.
—sun-sentinel.com, 19 Sep. 2021
The details of the Marlins’ 11-run inning: single, infield single, walk, grand slam, groundout, single, single, walk, two-run double, hit by pitch, run-scoring hit by pitch, run-scoring passed ball, three-run homer, single, strikeout, fielder’s-choice groundout.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, 14 Aug. 2021
Zunino cracked a 433-foot shot in the sixth against Taijuan Walker and allowed a run-scoring passed ball in the bottom half.
—Ronald Blum, Chron, 14 July 2021
When a wild pitch or passed ball goes through or by the catcher, or deflects off the catcher, and goes directly into the dugout, stands, above the break, or any area where the ball is dead, the awarding of bases shall be one base.
—Joe Noga, cleveland, 18 May 2022
Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 15 May 2023
Arroyo advanced to second on a sacrifice by Wong (3 for 4), reached third on a Zunino passed ball, and scored when Verdugo grounded his seventh career walkoff hit through the left side of the infield for the 10th Red Sox comeback win of the year.
—Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023
Hayes doubled and advanced on Fortes’ passed ball.
—sun-sentinel.com, 19 Sep. 2021
The details of the Marlins’ 11-run inning: single, infield single, walk, grand slam, groundout, single, single, walk, two-run double, hit by pitch, run-scoring hit by pitch, run-scoring passed ball, three-run homer, single, strikeout, fielder’s-choice groundout.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, 14 Aug. 2021
Zunino cracked a 433-foot shot in the sixth against Taijuan Walker and allowed a run-scoring passed ball in the bottom half.
—Ronald Blum, Chron, 14 July 2021
When a wild pitch or passed ball goes through or by the catcher, or deflects off the catcher, and goes directly into the dugout, stands, above the break, or any area where the ball is dead, the awarding of bases shall be one base.
—Joe Noga, cleveland, 18 May 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'passed ball.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Passed ball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passed%20ball. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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