Three runs in the ninth inning are not enough, as the Florida Marlins edged out the Cleveland Indians by an 8-7 final in the last game of the season at Jacobs Field. The Marlins took a 3-2 World Series lead over the Indians as the series returned to Miami.
Indians starter Orel Hershiser allowed a pair of runs in the second, both coming with two outs. After a leadoff ground-rule double from Darren Daulton, Charles Johnson singled him home. A walk to Craig Counsell kept the inning alive for Devon White, who doubled to right. Johnson scored, but Counsell was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The Indians scored four in the second and third innings to overcome the early deficit, thanks to an RBI-single by Sandy Alomar in the second and a three-run homer by him in the third.
A three-run homer from Moises Alou with two outs in the sixth gave the edge back to the Marlins, 5-4. After back-to-back singles off of Hershiser, Alvin Morman loaded the bases with a walk and Eric Plunk walked White to force home Jeff Conine with the sixth Marlins run of the game. Johnson added a run in the eighth off of Jeff Juden and Alou singled in a run in the ninth off of Jose Mesa to make it an 8-4 game.
Singles by David Justice and Jim Thome in the ninth scored three runs to make it close. With the tying run on first base against Robb Nen, Alomar flied out to deep right to end it.