diff --git a/backend/app/core/game_engine.py b/backend/app/core/game_engine.py
index baf3778..86ba98f 100644
--- a/backend/app/core/game_engine.py
+++ b/backend/app/core/game_engine.py
@@ -520,6 +520,7 @@ class GameEngine:
         self._rolls_this_inning[game_id].append(ab_roll)
 
         # Capture state before applying result
+        outs_before = state.outs  # Capture BEFORE _apply_play_result modifies it
         state_before = {
             "inning": state.inning,
             "half": state.half,
@@ -538,7 +539,7 @@ class GameEngine:
                 db_ops_tx = DatabaseOperations(session)
 
                 # Save play to DB (uses snapshot from GameState)
-                await self._save_play_to_db(state, result, db_ops=db_ops_tx)
+                await self._save_play_to_db(state, result, outs_before=outs_before, db_ops=db_ops_tx)
 
                 # Update game state in DB only if something changed
                 if (
@@ -1032,7 +1033,11 @@ class GameEngine:
             raise DatabaseError("save_rolls_batch", e)
 
     async def _save_play_to_db(
-        self, state: GameState, result: PlayResult, db_ops: DatabaseOperations | None = None
+        self,
+        state: GameState,
+        result: PlayResult,
+        outs_before: int,
+        db_ops: DatabaseOperations | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """
         Save play to database using snapshot from GameState.
@@ -1042,7 +1047,8 @@ class GameEngine:
         Args:
             state: Current game state
             result: Play result to save
-            session: Optional external session for transaction grouping
+            outs_before: Number of outs BEFORE this play (captured before _apply_play_result)
+            db_ops: Optional DatabaseOperations for transaction grouping
 
         Raises:
             ValueError: If required player IDs are missing
@@ -1091,7 +1097,7 @@ class GameEngine:
             "play_number": state.play_count,
             "inning": state.inning,
             "half": state.half,
-            "outs_before": state.outs,  # Capture current outs BEFORE applying result
+            "outs_before": outs_before,  # Passed from _finalize_play (captured before _apply_play_result)
             "outs_recorded": result.outs_recorded,
             "batting_order": state.current_batter.batting_order if state.current_batter else 1,
             # Player IDs from snapshot