2007 World Series Game Three

After a day of rest the teams head to New York, leaving behind the designated hitter and 65,000 screaming UUUUUUTE fans.

New York goes to their longtime postseason hero Stuart Coppolla, and Utah goes to the relatively unknown Dave DelSavio. Without a DH, Utah finds an outfielder's glove for Ryan Ballard and tries to hide him in left, but they tighten up the infield defense by starting Dodson and Ordonez.

Utah starts fast. In the top of the first Yamil Maduro doubles, and with two out scores on a dropped fly ball by Jackie Garrison. DelSavio starts strong, with 7 strikeouts and 6 groundouts in 5 innings of work. He was unscored upon for the first four. Utah scored in the third on a Frank Lewis sac fly, in the 4th on an Ordonez double, and again in the 5th as Lou Zamuda homered.

In the bottom of the 5th DelSavio ran out of gas. With 2 out and a runner on first he gave up a single to Coppolla, who strangely was not pinch hit for. Ricky Buckley and Manfred Mueller followed with hits, and brought New York to within one, 4-3. Utah tried to add an insurance run in the 6th but Doug Dodson was nailed at the plate on a throw from Garrison.

New York took the lead in the bottom 6th off a shaky Utah bullpen, with Chad White singling in Keith Lee and Ricky Buckley drawing a 2 out, bases loaded walk. The lead was very shortlived as Frank Lewis and Lou Zamuda greeted Bill Wright with back to back jacks. Wright has now pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed 4 homers this series. Michael Haley set New York down 1-2-3 in the 7th, and Del Holdsworth pushed the lead to 7-5 with an 8th inning double.

In the bottom 8th, Utah once again went to the saving Ute, Henry Rollins, for a 6 out save. He was shaky to start the 8th, as Garrison led off with a single and Griffin followed with a double to put the tieing runs on base. Justin Lewis followed with a sac fly to left, and Bobby Lewis (in left for defense) made it a very close play when Ute manager Battletrap would have conceded the run as long as he kept Griffin on second. Pinch hitter Lenny Backman then lifted a pop fly in foul territory behind third, and 39 year old Lou Zamuda made a spectacular catch, diving into the stands Jeter-style for the second out. After a Buckley walk, Rollins got Mueller to ground to second.

Utah got the insurance run back in the 9th as Frank Lewis blasted another homer off Jaret Benser. Then in the bottom 9th Brett Solo struck out, Lee doubled, White grounded to Zamuda, and Garrison drew a walk to once again put the tieing runs on base.

A clearly exhausted Rollins gave up a long flyball to left field. To the warning track, but no further as it died in the glove of Bobby Lewis to put Utah up 2-1.

With the victory, Utah cannot lose the series on the road. They will either return to the Popcorn Dome as conquering champions, or to play game 6.