Extra special: Astros, White Sox take Game 3 into extra innings

HOUSTON -- Jason Lane's two-out double in the eighth inning off Dustin Hermanson pulled the Houston Astros into a 5-all tie with the Chicago White Sox after nine innings in Game 3 of the World Series on Tuesday night.

Chicago's Orlando Hernandez pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game to extra innings.

After a big comeback against Roy Oswalt, the White Sox were four outs from going up 3-0 in the best-of-seven Series before their bullpen squandered a one-run lead.

With two outs and none on in the eighth, Cliff Politte walked Morgan Ensberg and Chicago went to normally reliable lefty Neal Cotts. But he walked Mike Lamb, a left-handed batter, and manager Ozzie Guillen called in Hermanson, a curious decision.

A closer most of the year, Hermanson saved 34 games for the White Sox -- but he had not pitched at all in the postseason. His previous outing was Sept. 30 in Cleveland.

Lane, who homered earlier, lined a 1-2 pitch down the left-field line to tie the score at 5. Hermanson then struck out Brad Ausmus, ending the inning.

Brad Lidge stranded a runner at second in the top of the ninth by fanning Aaron Rowand, and Hernandez got in trouble in the bottom half.

He issued a one-out walk to Chris Burke, who advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt and stole third on the next pitch.

But El Duque struck out rookie Willy Taveras with runners at the corners and, after an intentional walk to Lance Berkman, fanned cleanup batter Ensberg on a 2-2 slider.

It was the second time this postseason that Hernandez wriggled out of a mess. He escaped a bases-loaded, none-out jam in Boston to help the White Sox secure a first-round sweep.

A.J. Pierzynski's two-run double capped a five-run rally against Oswalt, and the White Sox overcame a big early deficit to take a 5-4 lead.

Game 1 star Joe Crede began the comeback in the fifth with his second home run of the Series. Tadahito Iguchi and Jermaine Dye each hit RBI singles before Pierzynski's two-out double rolled up Tal's Hill in deep right-center, giving Chicago and pitcher Jon Garland the lead.

The Astros built a four-run cushion for Oswalt behind Craig Biggio, Berkman and Lane, but the NL championship series MVP couldn't hold it.

He threw 46 pitches and faced 11 batters in the fifth, giving up six hits. The five runs allowed were his most in a home game since opening day against St. Louis.

Crede had a chance to become the first player in World Series history to hit two home runs in one inning, but Oswalt plunked him with a 2-2 pitch, loading the bases. That sparked some barking from both dugouts, and plate umpire Jerry Layne told both sides to keep quiet.

Juan Uribe, who singled and scored earlier, flied out to end the fifth at last.

With the World Series in Texas for the first time, the commissioner's office ordered the roof open at Minute Maid Park on a pleasant, 61-degree night -- though the Astros would have preferred to keep it closed partly because it increases the noise level.

Still, the crowd was plenty loud early on.

After dropping the first two games in Chicago, the Astros got off to a great start. Biggio doubled, hit an RBI single and scored twice in the first three innings. Berkman also had two hits, including a run-scoring single for his sixth RBI of the Series.

Ensberg added an RBI single, and Lane's homer leading off the fourth made it 4-0.

But Garland settled down from there, retiring his next nine batters and giving his teammates a chance to come back.

There were four double plays in the first two innings, one in each half inning.

Biggio led off the first with a double and scored on a single by Berkman, who increased his total to 14 RBIs this postseason.

The White Sox put their first two batters on in the second, but Paul Konerko was doubled off second when Rowand lined out to shortstop.

With two on, Oswalt got Uribe on a popup to end the inning.

Adam Everett opened the Houston third with an infield single, and Garland had to jump to elude the broken bat.

The White Sox had Everett trapped between first and second after a pitchout, but Uribe's throw hit the runner, allowing him to return safely to first.

The shortstop was charged with an error.

After Oswalt's sacrifice, Biggio hit an RBI single to right. He went to third on Berkman's single to right and scored on Ensberg's single.

Lamb struck out to end the inning. Both runs in the third were unearned.

Though his hamstring is still sore, Roger Clemens remains "penciled in" as Houston's starting pitcher for a possible Game 5, according to manager Phil Garner.

Oswalt won twice in the NLCS against St. Louis, but he's been baffled by Pierzynski. The Chicago catcher was 5-for-8 against the right-hander in the regular season, and Oswalt walked him the first two times up before Pierzynski's double.