With the series tied at one game apiece, both managers saw the importance of game three and the need to gain the

important one game advantage. Indians manager Kurt Gnandt called upon another 20 game winner, Mike Hampton, and SeaWolves manager countered with his ace, 27 game winner Randy Johnson. After both teams combined for a total of 6 runs in the first two games, these high-powered offenses were sure to show up soon. However, both starters continued this pitching-dominated series by matching goose-eggs for the first three innings. After Johnson shut down Lake Erie in the top of the 4th, SeaWolf first baseman Jeff Bagwell lined a one-out single in the bottom half. He was followed by consecutive singles by Chipper Jones and John Jaha. Brian Giles then stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out, and launched a Hampton pitch into the seats for a grand slam and a 4 run SeaWolf lead. Hampton had allowed just one homer to 261 lefty batters during the regular season, but Giles took advantage of a hanger. That looked like all Johnson would need as he dominated the Indians by allowing just three hits and one walk through eight innings, while striking out twelve. Terry

Shumpert led off the Lake Erie ninth by driving a routine flyball to left that Barry Bonds dropped for a two-base error. This represented

the first error of the series, stopping an impressivee 26 consecutive errorless streak by both teams. Lake Erie quickly took advantage

when Fernando Tatis immediately followed by crushing a Johnson fastball for a two-run homer, cutting the deficit to two runs. However,

Johnson answered back by striking out Albert Belle and Matt Mieske, and getting Greg Colbrunn on a lineout to short to end the game.

Once again, as in game one, all the runs scored in the game came on homers. Two pitcher's mistakes led to six runs, however the

SeaWolves were able to put more runners on base before the long ball and took a 2-1 series lead.