An inning is that part of a game within which the teams alternate on offense and defense and in which there are three putouts for each team. Each team's time at bat is a half inning. There are 9 innings in a normal baseball game. The home team bats in the last half of the inning. Bottom of the 1st, Bottom of the 2nd and so on, this gives them an advantage because if they are ahead in the bottom of the 9th then the game is over, or if they are behind or the score is tied and they can get the lead, then the game is over and they win.