Home Run or Out

Question
A batter hits a ball that is clearly on its way to leaving the yard. The left fielder continues to track the ball and leaps to retrieve it before it can cross the fence which has the distinctive yellow home run line, I may add. As the filder leaps and makes the grab he crashes into the outfield fence toppling over with the ball in his glove simultaneously on the opposite side, never touching fair territory again when he started his leap. In my understanding, if the ball, whether caught or not travels over the designated yellow line and not cleanly brought back into fair territory, it would be ruled a home run. Is this correct?

Answer
Bob,

In the situation you gave, the batter would be out as long as the fielder was still in-play when the ball was initially touched. The ball is dead, and each runner is awarded one base from the base they occupied at the time of the pitch (which is their last legally-acquired base).

Rule 6.05(a) Comment: A fielder may reach into, but not step into, a dugout to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. A fielder, in order to make a catch on a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet on or over the playing surface (including the lip of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside the dugout or in any other out-of-play area. Ball is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal catch, falls into a dugout or other out-of-play area, in which case the ball is dead. Status of runners shall be as described in Rule 7.04(c) Comment.

7.04 Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one base when?br> (c) A fielder, after catching a fly ball, falls into a bench or stand, or falls across ropes into a crowd when spectators are on the field;

Rule 7.04(c) Comment: If a fielder, after having made a legal catch, should fall into a stand or among spectators or into the dugout or any other out-of-play area while in possession of the ball after making a legal catch, or fall while in the dugout after making a legal catch, the ball is dead and each runner shall advance one base, without liability to be put out, from his last legally touched base at the time the fielder fell into, or in, such out-of-play area.