how is this an earned run?

http://onlinegames.strat-o-matic.com/ga ... 266478/872

1st inning

0 C.Granderson 4-9 Ground Out (1B) b-0 F9
1 M.Napoli 4-4 1 Base Error - 3B b-1 gb(3B)x F9
1 1 A.Pujols 3-7 Walk 1-2 b-1 F9
1 12 J.Bautista 5-4 Double (CF) 2-H 1-3 b-2 fly(CF)x F9

The only possible far-fetched explanation is that Pujols "would have" scored if Napoli hadn't been on base -- dumb.

C. Carpenter (W, 18-8) 6.1 12 H 3 R 3 ER

You are right; this should not be an earned run.

Many years ago when the first personal computers came out (TRS-80; later Atari 800), I would program my own games in BASIC. I had a pretty good text-based football game. However, I was never successful programming a baseball game. I remember one problem I couldn't solve was trying to determine if a run was earned or not.

Computers have obviously come a long way, and I'm not excusing the game engine missing this one--especially since this one is pretty straightforward. However, I am a little sympathetic based on my own programming experience.

I cannot see any logic by which Napoli run is earned. He reached on an error. Had he singled and went to second on an error I can see the scorer saying Napoli would have advanced on Pujols walk and would have thus scored without the error so run is earned. But since he would not have been on base at all without the error that has to be unearned. Carpenter's agent needs to talk to HAL and get that corrected.