This time, it's Hopatcong that holds on, taking Game 3

Second-seeded Hopatcong aimed for the same formula as their Game 1 win: 6 innings out of their starter and let the bullpen do the rest.

Sure, it worked, but not without some tense moments in the 9th inning as the Floating Fish held on for a 3-2 win in Game 3 win in Vancouver on Thursday.

Hopatcong closer Alex Claudio came on in the 9th inning looking to close out a 3-0 shutout. Vancouver, which withstood a Hopatcong rally to take Game 2, had other plans.

Game 2 hero Jose Martinez, pinch-hitting for Josh Reddick, singled to lead off the inning and J.D. Martinez promptly doubled down the first-base line, and suddenly, Vancouver had the tying run step to the plate. Only it wasn't Charlie Blackmon, who was due up. Johan Camargo stepped in for his second pinch-hit appearance of the postseason and came through again, slashing a two-run double to slice the lead to a single run.

The winning run took 1st base when Anthony Rendon walked, bringing up Vancouver's top postseason hitter, Jonathan Schoop. With two men on, down by a run, Schoop had a chance to at least tie the game. He grounded to 1st base where Votto turned and threw to 2nd where Zack Cozart stepped on the bag and fired back to 1st base for the 3-6-3 double play, getting Camargo - the tying run - to 3rd base but also getting down to their last out.

Switch-hitting Carlos Santana was due up but Vancouver instead opted for Wilson Ramos to pinch hit against the lefty Claudio. The San Juan, Puerto Rico native closed out Hopatcong's win getting Ramos to ground out to 1st base for the final out, preserving a 3-2 Floating Fish win, and taking a 2-1 lead in the Best-of-Seven series.

The win went to Kyle Hendricks (1-0), who bettered Stephen Strasburg's Game 1 win, by going 6 shutout innings (Strasburg yielded 3 run). The Dartmouth alum scattered 4 hits and yielded 3 runs, largely on 3 BBs, with 5 Ks. Fifty-three of his 95 pitches were for strikes (.558). Tyler Lyons and Adam Warren each went an inning, like they did in Game 1, to set up Claudio, whose 30 saves ranked 3rd in the league during the regular season. He was battered for 3 hits and 2 runs, with 1 walk, in his 1 inning of work but earned his second save of the series.

There wasn't much scoring before that. A one-out homer by Nick Castellanos in the 2nd inning gave Hopatcong a 1-0 lead. With one out in the 3rd, Iron Fist starter Luis Castillo got wild, walking Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman, setting up Robinson Cano, who drove them both home when he laced a double to left center for a 3-0 lead.

Castillo got out of the inning, settling down for a solid 3 innings afterward. And the same went for Hendricks. Both were replaced by relievers come the 7th inning. Juan Nicasio started the inning, and after an error, two groundouts, and a passed ball, Joey Votto came to the plate with a runner on 2nd base. Votto walked and Vancouver opted for Drew Pomeranz. The lefty got Harper to ground out to 3rd base to end the inning.

Castillo (0-2), acquired from El Paso for a 1st rounder in June, took the loss despite just 4 hits allowed but he gave up 3 runs, thanks to 3 walks with 5 strikeouts. Nicasio went 2/3 inning just giving up the walk, Pomeranz logged 1 1/3 innings, striking out 1, and Trevor Rosenthal pitched a clean 9th to combine for a hitless final 3 innings.

Hopatcong finished with 3 runs on 4 hits and left 6 on base. Vancouver had 2 runs on 6 hits and stranded 5. Cano and Camargo led their respective teams with 2 RBI.

Game 4 will be Friday night in Vancouver where the Iron Fist likely will have their ace, Game 1 starter Aaron Nola, on the mound for the first time in the series.