Season 5 Championship, Game 3

This series has not disappointed! I really hope it goes the full five games! 

In Game 3, the Blue Legs took the field in front of their hometown fans, sending Pud Galvin to the mound in a rematch against Game 1 winner Cy Young. Galvin had trouble finding the strike zone and walked Joe Kelley, the game's first batter. Kelley later scored on a wild pitch from Galvin. The Haymakers' lead was short-lived, however, as Billy Hamilton smoked a leadoff double and scored when Dan Brouthers recorded a double of his own.

Galvin settled in after his first-inning jitters and even helped his own cause with his bat. He led off the bottom of the third with a single and, after the Legs loaded the bases, Brouthers brought him home with an RBI groundout to make it 2-1 in favor of the hosts. 

The Haymakers could muster little offense against Galvin until the top of the fifth, when light-hitting second baseman Bid McPhee led off the inning with a home run to tie the game at 2. The baseball gods give, but they also take away. In the sixth, the Haymakers lost starting catcher Roger Bresnahan to injury. We won't see him again this postseason unless the series extends to a fifth and final game. 

The score remained deadlocked at 2. With Deacon White filling in behind the dish, the fleet-footed Blue Legs were bound to run wild on the bases if they managed to get on board. Young, to his credit, turned up the heat and notched strikeout after strikeout. The ninth inning ended with no further scoring.

Now, for the first time in league history, a playoff game had gone to extra innings. Leading off in the top of the tenth, Kelley ripped a triple into the left-field gap in a devastating blow to the Legs. Jesse Burkett grounded out to bring him home and give the Haymakers a 3-2 lead. The next batter was Cap Anson, who promptly blasted a home run to increase the margin to 4-2.

Flamethrowing closer Amos Rusie came out in the bottom of the tenth to shut the door. He racked up two quick outs before Billy Hamilton -- a strong Playoff MVP candidate if the Legs win the series -- worked a walk and stole second. Rusie induced a weak grounder from Willie Keeler to get the final out, and the Haymakers now lead the series two games to one. If they win Game 4, they'll hoist the Creighton Cup!