Spokane Indians edge first-place Eugene second consecutive game 7-6 | NWL baseball

EUGENE, Ore. – Max Belyeu hit a go-ahead solo home run in the ninth inning and the Spokane Indians edged the Eugene Emeralds 7-6 in the third of a six-game High-A Northwest League series at PK Park on Thursday.

The go-ahead homer was Belyeu’s second of the game. He finished 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs. Tommy Hopfe and Kevin Hidalgo also homered for the Indians (25-35).

Belyeu’s homer, his eighth of the season, was the first pitch of the inning by Eugene reliever Cole Hillier. Indians reliever Hunter Mann gave up a hit and a stolen base in the bottom half but got a line-out double play to end the game.

Mann (1-2) went three innings and allowed one hit and no walks with three strikeouts.

The Indians trailed 6-3 entering the late innings. They scored two in the sixth on a groundout and Belyeu’s two-out RBI single then tied it with a run in the seventh. Hidalgo was hit by a pitch leading off, then stole second and went to third on a fly out. Roynier Hernandez’s high chopper to first was fielded by first base Jakob Christian but his only play was Hernandez at first and the run scored.

Indians starter Lebarron Johnson Jr went 41/3 innings and allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Francis Rivera provided 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief between Johnson and Mann.

The Emeralds fell to 40-20.

The series continues Friday at 6:35 p.m.