All tied up!

Vancouver took the early lead yesterday and withheld a late Vegas rally to knot the series at 3 and force a game 7. Vegas scored early as Ben Sheets got into several jams in the early innings. In the first inning, the Rats managed to load the bases, but Sheets escaped with only one run scored, then worked out of another bases loaded jam in the second, once again only allowing one run. Vancouver came roaring back in the third, scoring four runs, including a 2-run Chase Utley home run. The Fist extended the lead to 5-2 with a solo homer by Michael Young in the 4th. Utley hit another home run, this time a solo shot in the 6th. Meanwhile, Ben Sheets had settled in and retired 10 out 11 batters since the rocky first two innings. But those early innings racked up Sheets' pitch count and he was replaced with Matt Herges in the 6th. Curtis Granderson's 2-run homer capped a 4-run rally in the 7th to give the Fist a 9-2 lead. Herges was cruising along until the 7th when he surrendered a 2-run blast to Jim Thome. In the 8th, it looked like the wheels were going to fall off for Vancouver, as Herges quickly got into a jam. Billy Wagner came in and the Rats narrowed the lead to 9-6. But that was all the Rats would get. Manny Corpas closed out the 9th for his 3rd save.

The teams return to Vancouver Friday for game 7. Vancouver has Chad Billingsley scheduled for the game, while Las Vegas sends out Josh Beckett.