In baseball, the term "pitcher of record" is used to refer to the pitcher who is in line to be awarded credit for his team's win or loss. This is determined by a number of factors, including the number of innings pitched by said pitcher and his effectiveness, as well as the score of the game and the number of runners on base when said pitcher exits the game.
Basics
The basic criteria for a pitcher to earn a win is that pitcher must be in the game when his team takes the lead for good. It does not matter if the lead is established in the first inning or with the last at-bat, as long as that team does not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game.
Starting Pitchers
For a starting pitcher to receive the win, he must pitch a minimum of five innings to be able to receive the win. If the starting pitcher is removed after an inning--given that he has pitched five--and the offense takes the lead for good in the half-inning before a new pitcher comes into the game, the starting pitcher still receives credit for the win.
Relief Pitchers
Relief pitchers must record at least one out in order to qualify for the win. Just like the starter, whichever relief pitcher is in the game when the offense takes the lead for good earns the win. However, it is up to the official scorer to determine the effectiveness of relief pitchers. The scorer should use his discretion to award the win to whichever relief pitcher was most effective, taking runs, earned runs and baserunners into account.
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