Rundown

In baseball, a rundown, informally known as a pickle, the hotbox, or goose chase is a situation that occurs when the baserunner is stranded between two bases, also known as no-man's land, and is in jeopardy of being tagged out.

When the baserunner attempts to advance to the next base, he is cut off by the defensive player who has a live ball, and attempts to return to his previous base before being tagged out.

As he is doing this, the defender throws the ball past the baserunner to the defender at the previous base, forcing the baserunner to reverse directions again.

This is repeated until the runner is put out or reaches a base safely.

[2] There are a variety of strategies for how the defense will deal with trying to get a runner out who has been caught in a pickle.