Eugene swapped its worst team in the regular season moniker for Northwest League champions.

In a finish that seemed fitting for such an unexpected title run, the Emeralds clinched the championship on a walk-off balk to defeat Spokane 3-2 in front of 2,714 Tuesday night at PK Park.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth of a 2-2 tie, Spokane reliever Emmanuel Clase stumbled off the mound and dropped the ball to bring in Yonathan Perlaza with the winning run.

“I saw him drop the ball and thought ‘What just happened’,” said Eugene’s Jake Slaughter, who was on second base at the time. “I know its crazy, but we got it done.”

After going 31-45 in the regular season, Eugene won five straight playoff games to capture its second title in three seasons.

“Unbelievable,” first-year manager Steve Lerud said. “We hung in that game like we have done all year. I know our record is what it is, but we were in a lot of games. In the last month, we really turned it around and this is what happens. … Considering what these guys have done in the last month, I’d say right now we are probably the best team in the league.”

Eugene trailed in four of its five playoff games but won each of those four games by a 3-2 score. The Ems swept the best-of-five title series from the Indians.

“That has been the story for us all year,” catcher Caleb Knight said. “There have been rough games, tough games, but we fought through adversity. When you respect the game, that pays off in the end.”

Spokane led 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth when Jonathan Sierra led off with a single and went to second on a single by Fernando Kelli. After Perlaza reached on a fielders choice, Slaughter was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Andy Weber faced a 3-2 count before drawing a walk that scored Sierra. Nelson Velazquez stepped to the plate before Clase was called for a balk.

“It’s tough,” Spokane manager Kenny Holmberg said. “You’d like to see the ball put in play. A hit, a strikeout, something where the defense has to make a play or the offense has to drive him in. Tough loss.”

Meanwhile, the Ems sprinted out of the dugout for a dogpile on the field. After receiving the championship trophy, a champagne celebration broke out on the first-base deck.

“We believed in ourselves and got to the playoffs and swept it,” Slaughter said. “We proved a lot of people wrong.”

Eugene took the lead with an unearned run in the first inning after Velazquez hit a double. With two outs, Levi Jordan hit a grounder to shortstop Jax Biggers, who booted the ball for an error as Velazquez scored from second base.

Spokane tied the game in the top of the second when Diosbel Arias struck out, but reached first on a wild pitch and advanced to second on a throwing error by Knight. Sherten Apostel followed with a single that scored Arias to tie the game 1-1.

Francisco Ventura followed with a ground-rule double that put runners on second and third before Eugene starter Eury Ramos struck out back-to-back batters to end the inning.

Spokane went ahead 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Apostel hit a solo homer to center field.

Ramos allowed four hits and two earned runs in four innings with four strikeouts. Peyton Remy relieved Ramos and threw four scoreless innings while allowing two hits. Fauris Guerrero and Ethan Roberts combined to pitch a scoreless ninth as Eugene’s relievers did not allow a run in 25 innings during the postseason.

“Our bullpen was awesome,” Lerud said. “They delivered game after game the last few weeks to get us here and then kept us in that game.”