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GAME FOUR
With Lake Erie facing a one game deficit, manager Kurt Gnandt turned to his overpowering ace, Pedro Martinez, to even
up the 2000 World Series. Martinez sparkeled in eight shutout innings in a no-decision in game one's eighteen inning marathon. The
Indians hoped to reward Pedro with some run support against San Francisco's Sterling Hitchcock, who threw nine shutout innings himself
in the game one classic. However, the SeaWolves would strike first as Jeff Bagwell followed a Chipper Jones walk with a blast to
left, giving San Francisco a two-run lead in the first. Roberto Alomar would cut that deficit to one run when he stroked a solo homer in
the top of the second, and Derek Jeter would copy that with his own solo shot in the top of the third, to tie the game at two. The
Indians would then score in their third straight inning when Kenny Lofton lined a shot in the rightfield gap, scoring two runs and giving
Lake Erie a 4-2 lead. The powerful Indian lineup was now wide awake as they broke out again in the fifth, seemingly putting the
game away. Mike Thurman replaced SeaWolf starter Hitchcock with one out and Luis Gonzalez at first. Gnandt countered with
pinch-hitter David Delluci, who worked a walk. SeaWolf killer Fernando Tatis then stepped to the plate and hammered a deep blast for a three-run homer and a 7-2 lead. Pedro Martinez in the meantime was cruising since Bagwells's homer in the first, shutting down the SeaWolves with through six innings. But San Francisco showed signs of life in the seventh. With two outs, Barry Bonds worked Martinez for a walk and catcher Mike DiFelice followed with a single. Manager Rick Cantor then called upon Todd Hundley to pinch-hit, and he came through with a gapper to score both Bonds and DiFelice for a two-run double. Pokey Reese would then chase Martinez with a double of his own, cutting the Indian lead to 8-5. Mariano Rivera replaced Pedro and escaped further damage, as the Indians entered the top of the eighth with a three run lead. That lead would quickly become extended against San Francisco lefty Scott Sauerbeck. Two walks and a single left the bases loaded with two outs and Indian Phil Nevin at the plate. Nevin hammered a Sauerbeck fastball over the head of centerfielder Chris
Singleton, emptying the bases and giving Lake Erie a comfortable 11-5 lead. Javy Lopez added a solo homer in the top of the ninth to finish the
scoring, as Lake Erie evened the series at two games apiece with an important 12-5 win.
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