Earned Runs

Leadoff hitter has a clean single. A pickoff attempt hits the runner diving back into first, the pitcher is charged with an error. On the play the runner goes to second.....ERROR FREE WOULD HAVE RUNNER AT FIRST, NO OUTS....Batter then hits a routine ground ball to the shortstop who drops it, no throw is made, and the runner stays on second creating first and second with no outs...AT THIS POINT THERE SHOULD BE A RUNNER ON SECOND AND ONE OUT (CANNOT ASSUME A DOUBLE PLAY). Shortstop charged with an error. Third batter hits a single scoring one run and leaving first and third.. AT THIS POINT THE THIRD BATTER'S HIT WOULD SCORE THE RUN FROM SECOND AND THE BATTER BECOMES A RUNNER ON FIRST WITH ONE OUT. Fourth batter hits into a double play scoring the second run, but bases are now empty. Final out is then made...WITH ERROR FREE PLAY, THE DOUBLE PLAY WOULD RETIRE THE SIDE WITH ONLY ONE RUN IN THE INNING...With the situation as you describe I would SCORE ONE EARNED RUN AND ONE UNEARNED RUN.
We have to assume a few things here that are not described in depth. These situations are left to the offical scorer and are usually prefaced by: (In the scorer's opinion)
Fungo

Only the 1st run would be earned and only because he advanced to 2nd base due to the pitcher's error. The pitcher can not benefit from his own error by denying an earned run. The official scorer would subjectively decide if the ground ball to SS would have resulted in a force play at 2nd on BR-1 had he not advanced to 2nd on pick-off play error. The scorer may rule that BR-1 would have advanced to 2nd on the ground ball to SS; in this case the run would also be scored as an earned run. The score keeper however can not assume a DP on groundball to SS. It is as clear as mud!

As I understand it an error by a pitcher is treated exactly the same as an error by any other fielder in computing earned runs....but...I may be wrong.
Fungo

You are correct Fungo, I stand corrected. An error by the pitcher is treated the same as an error by any other fielder in determining ERA.

I'd like to add to this discussion of earned runs.....we just had this the other day.

Runner at second, one out(got there cleanly). Pitcher throws a PB that advances the runner to Third. Next hitter hits a ground ball to SS, who throws runner out at First. Run scores. Next hitter strikes out. Earned or unearned? I thought "earned", but my Pitching Coach (always looking out for his pitchers) said "Except for the Passed Ball, the run would not have scored, so it is unearned"....looking at it again, I think he's correct because we treat a PB almost like an E on the catcher, correct?

Now if it had been a Wild Pitch that put the runner on Third, we would call that an earned run, right?

TCB1,
You are right...

From MLB Official Rules:
In determining earned runs, the inning should be reconstructed without the errors (which include catcher's interference) and passed balls, and the benefit of the doubt should always be given to the pitcher in determining which bases would have been reached by errorless play.

A wild pitch is solely the pitcher's fault, and contributes to an earned run just as a base on balls or a balk.

quote:

and the benefit of the doubt should always be given to the pitcher in determining which bases would have been reached by errorless play.

But how come when MY SON is pitching...the score keeper forgets what an error is

That's why a pitcher's parent ALWAYS volunteers to keep score