How can a game end by rain in the 8th inning?

Answer 1

If it appears that hard rain will continue for several hours, or that the field will be too wet to play safely on, the umpires can call the game on account of rain. If this is in the eighth inning, whichever team is winning will be declared the winner -- except if the visiting team took the lead in the top of the inning and the inning was not completed. In that case, the game will be resumed on a subsequent day from the point at which the game stopped.

Some background: If fewer than 5 innings have been played, the game will be started again on a subsequent day. If more than 5 innings have been played (of if more than 4 and a half innings have been played and the home team has the lead), the team that is winning is declared the winner and the game is stopped. There is one exception. If the visiting team took the lead in the top of the inning, and the home team hasn't completed its at bat. In that case the game is postponed and resumed from the point where it stopped. This exception is new. In the past, if the game was stopped in the middle of an inning, that inning was simply canceled and the team had led at the end of the previous inning is declared the winner.

Note that the rules for rain are different than rules from some other types of delay. For example if a game is postponed because of darkness or technical problems, it is resumed on a subsequent day from the point at which it was stopped.

Answer 2

Basically can be called an incomplete game, start-over at another date. However, under certain circumstances a game may be played where the game was left off by approval of MLB president council. (Especially late in the season when the game matters for play-offs.)

Answer 3

No.

Because of the importance of post-season games, the MLB Rules Committee has stated that all such games must be played for at least nine innings. If weather (or earthquake) make it too dangerous for a post-season game to proceed, then the game will be suspended, but not halted. That game will be re-started at the same stadium, at the exact spot in the game, when conditions permit doing so.

A decision to suspend a World Series game is in the hands of the Commissioner; for other games, it's decided by the umpires.

This has happened only once, in 2008, with the Phillies on the verge of winning only the second title in their history. The game was re-started two days later, and the Phillies won.

Answer 4

The game can end as early as the middle of the 5th, if the home team is ahead.

Answer 5

It can end however it's not a complete game until after the 4th inning.