[This post began as what I considered a not-too-difficult rules challenge from tonight's Mets-Pirates game. But now, all is confusion. If you are an expert on the MLB Rules, specifically Rule 7.00, "The Runner," we would appreciate hearing from you!]

Video of the play:  http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=15850955

In the top of the 8th, trailing 2-0, the Mets had Ruben Tejada on 3rd and Lucas Duda at 1st with no outs. Jose Reyes hit a sinking liner into short LF, but Jose Tabata made a sliding grab just above the grasstops; the umpire made a prompt (and correct) "out" call. Tejada had tagged up at 3rd, but Duda misread the play and went too far towards 2nd before turning back. Tejada crossed the plate ahead of Tabata's throw, which was cut off and fired to 1st base to double off Duda.

As this chaotic play wound down, and with the Mets announcers speculating that Tejada had left 3rd too soon, a Pirate fielder with the ball jogged over and stepped on 3rd base, looking to the 3rd base umpire for an out call. But the umpire gave no sign at all. Tejada's run stayed on the scoreboard, and the inning continued without further incident.

Why didn't the umpire give a sign when the Pirates stepped on 3rd base?

Here's a link to MLB Rule 7: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/runner_7.jsp

Tonight Zach Duke hit his second homer of the season for the Diamondbacks. That gives him 2 HR and 5 RBI on the season.

Here are recent seasons by pitchers with at least 2 HR and 5 RBI:

Ryan Howard has some unusual splits this year based on whether the Phillies are ahead, behind, or tied.

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How many players in baseball history have hit at least 265 homeruns through the season in which they were age 31? 

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Two notes:

- We have added minor-league player newsfeeds to the site, so now the names of any active minor-leaguers will be linked when you use the Automatic Player Linker Tool. Click here to read more about the linker program, and to learn how to submit your content to the B-R newsfeeds.

- Also, please welcome the following sites to the linker program:

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Check out the top 25 active players for most PAs with just one team in the majors:

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Johnny Vander Meer's feat of consecutive no-hitters in 1938 is often described as "the most unbreakable record in baseball."

Do you think anyone could throw 3 straight no-hitters, without a fundamental change in the context of the game as we know it? Feel free to approach the question scientifically, emotionally, philosophically, religiously, or humorously.

I won't bother trying to estimate the odds of a pitcher throwing 3 straight no-hitters; there are too many variables.

But here are the pitchers since 1919 who've thrown 3 straight CG allowing 3 hits or less each time:

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An arbitrary and capricious roundup of today's MLB action:

Francisco Liriano's bid for a 2nd no-hitter was ended in the 8th by Adrian Beltre. Liriano allowed a run on 2 hits and no walks, with 9 strikeouts. It was his first game without a walk since last Sept. 7. In a long half-inning before Beltre's hit, Minnesota sent 10 men to the plate and scored 5 runs, as many as they'd scored in any game for Liriano this year.

• All 5 Twins runs in the 7th were unearned due to an error by Elvis Andrus, who had 2 in the game and has 13 this season. Andrus made only 16 errors all last year, so he must be having a worse year defensively, right? Not necessarily. Andrus is making more plays, and more double plays, than last year, and his dWAR rating already exceeds last year's mark.

Humidor, schmumidor: The Rockies and Dodgers staged an old-fashioned game of Coorsball, combining for 7 HRs. Colorado won the long-hitting competition, 4-3, but LA spiced their attack with 14 other hits and prevailed by 10-8. The ball was flying so well that even James Loney got some liftoff with a 4th-inning grand slam against Ubaldo Jimenez to put his club in front for good. Matt Kemp, still scorching hot, hit his 20th, while the Rockies were represented by the usual suspects (Cargo-Tulo-Helton) plus Seth Smith, the talented batsman with the banker's name. Mr. Smith is now hitting .314 with a .906 OPS.

• Although 5 of the 7 runs off Jimenez were unearned, he allowed 11 hits in 5.1 IP and fell to 1-7; in the last calendar year, he is 8-14 with a 4.31 ERA in just over 200 IP.

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I see that Francisco Liriano has yet to allow a hit through 7 innings today. He could become the first pitcher to get 2 regular-season no-hitters in the game season in a long time.

Just as I was making this table, the announcers on the TBS broadcast gave the same information, so I guess I'll credit them. Also, of course Halladay had 2 such games last year but one was in the playoffs (not that this is any less impressive!)

This is, I think, a very difficult trivia question.

Following is a list of 10 players. Can you figure out what criteria I used to make the list?

Miguel Tejada

Jeff Bagwell

Juan Rivera

Shawn Green

Matt LeCroy

Johnny Estrada

Andruw Jones

Kevin Kouzmanoff

David Ortiz

Gerardo Parra

If nobody gets it quickly, I will post some clues.