GAME FIVE
With the series tied at two games apiece, the all-important game five was to be a rematch of game two, with Kevin
Millwood on the mound for Lake Erie and Pete Harnisch getting the nod for San Francisco. Harnisch was the winner in game two, but both
pitchers pitched very well in a 2-1 San Francisco win. Lake Erie and Millwood looked for redemption in game five. After a scoreless first
by Lake Erie, Pokey Reese led things off for the SeaWolves with a single. Indian third baseman Fernando Tatis couldn't handle a Chris
Singleton groundball and San Francisco had runners at first and second with no one out. Up to the plate strode the struggling Chipper
Jones, who was just 4-17 (.235) with no RBI's, and he promptly grounded into a rally-killing double play to end the threat. Lake Erie
would then grab the momentum in the top of the 2nd as Jim Thome led off with a walk. After a Jeter strikeout, Thome went to second on a
Luis Gonzalez groundout, and once again Fernando Tatis came through for the Indians with a clutch single and a 1-0 lead. Millwood
would then strike out the side in the bottom half and Lake Erie went to work again in the third. Kenny Lofton lined a one-out single and
David Delluci was hit by a Harnisch fastball. Roberto Alomar then lined a triple to right and the Indians had a 3-0 lead. San Francisco
would get on the board in the bottom half of third as Pokey Reese hit a triple of this own and would score on a Singleton sacrifice fly. The
score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the sixth when Singleton would strike again with a solo homer to center, cutting the Indian lead to
3-2. In the top of the 8th, Scott Sauerbeck replaced a tiring Harnisch and the Indians took advantage. Albert Belle led off with
a single and Alomar would be retired on a groundout. SeaWolf manager Rick Cantor called upon Jose Lima to face the pinch-hitting
Terry Shumpert, and Shumpert was retired on a fly to right. Derek Jeter followed with a single and Cantor once again went to the bullpen
to have lefty Dennis Reyes face lefty Luis Gonzalez, but Indian Manager Kurt Gnandt foiled that plan by calling on pinch-hitter Matt Mieske,
who came through with a clutch single and a 4-2 Indian lead. The SeaWolves would go quietly in their half of the 8th, and in the top
of the ninth, Lake Erie put the game away as Phil Nevin blasted a Mike Thurman breaking ball for a three run homer and 7-2 Lake Erie win.
The Indians now had the upper hand with a 3-2 game lead with the series shifting back to Lake Erie for game six.
