When is a pitcher a winning pitcher and when is he not. Pay attention. If a pitcher leaves the game and has pitched 5 2/3 or more innings and his team is ahead and stays ahead, then he is the winning pitcher. If the pitcher leaves the game after the same amount of innings and then the other team goes ahead, BUT none of the runs that score are charged to him (a charged run would a batter or runner that he pitched to scores) then he is neither the winning pitcher nor the losing pitcher. Got it?