Definition: The top of the inning is the first half of an inning, during which the visiting team bats and the home team plays defense. It always takes place before the “bottom” half of the inning.
The name comes from the traditional way scores were written on paper, with the visiting team’s score placed on the top line. During this time, the visitors try to score as many runs as possible to put pressure on the home team before they get their chance to bat.
Example: The visiting team took an early lead by scoring two runs in the top of the inning.
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