Balk call costly for Indians

BOISE – Jeffrey Baez singled home Chesny Young with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning and the Boise Hawks eked out a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Indians in Northwest League baseball Tuesday night.

The loss, coupled with Vancouver’s 13-7 win over Eugene, cut the Indians’ North Division lead to two games.

Young started the Hawks’ rally in the 10th by greeting Indians reliever Jason Hoppe with a single. Mark Malave walked to move Young to second. Hoppe got Charles White to fly out in foul territory for the first out, but Hoppe was called for a balk with Jeffrey Baez batting to put runners on second and third. Spokane manager Tim Hulett was ejected after arguing the call and Baez singled to left to end the game.

The Indians (22-10) had rallied with a run in the top of the ninth to knot the score at 3-all. Jose Trevino drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a two-out single by Zach Cone. Trevino scored on a wild pitch.

Marcus Greene’s RBI double plated Spokane’s first run in the fourth and Cone’s groundout pushed a run across in the seventh.