Houston Astros Pitcher Surrenders Go-Ahead Score To Dodgers After Ridiculous Balk

Houston Astros reliever Ryne Stanek caused a serious uproar in Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers surrounding a questionable violation called by a game official.

Stanek was called for a balk on the mound during a crucial part in the eighth inning that ultimately gave the Dodgers their go-ahead score to win the game, 8-7.

The question is: was it truly a balk?

Stanek pitched to Dodgers' Miguel Rojas in the eighth, with a Dodger on second and third base. He walked up to the mound and began to stare down at Rojas ahead of a potential pitch but suddenly stepped out of his stance, prompting Rojas and umpire Junior Valentine to call a balk on Stanek.

With a 3-2 count on Stanek, the balk brought Jonny DeLuca in from third, putting the Dodgers up for the decisive score.

At first, Stanek barked at the ump before realizing he had to finish the inning. Once the inning wrapped, both Stanek and Houston skipper Dusty Baker tore the ump apart, leading to their ejections from the game.

The balk was not entirely egregious by Stanek but the move did give the Dodgers an in to call it out late in the game.

While it often hurts to side with an umpire during a decisive moment dictated by officiating, the call appears right. Had Stanek exercised more caution after stepping on the mound, the Astros could have won the game in the ninth or extra innings.