Prior to Game 3 of the World Series, Atlanta starting pitcher John Smoltz received the Roberto Clemente award in an on-field ceremony. MLB admirably has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and is encouraging donations to that organization as they seek to rebuild the hurricane-damaged Gulf Coast. Regrettably, they chose a cheesy collection of artists to sing a sappy song in support of the cause. The silly performance provided a poor intro to Michael McDonald's rather solid rendition of the National Anthem.

RHP Roy Oswalt opened the evening by striking out LF-L Scott Podsednik. 2B-R Tadahito Iguchi then hit a grounder into right for a single, but RF-R Jermaine Dye grounded into a double play to quickly end the top of the first. 2B-R Craig Biggio led off the bottom of the first with a line drive hit into deep left-center for a double. CF-R Willy Taveras then popped out, however LF-S Lance Berkman knocked a line drive into the left field corner for a single that drove in Biggio to put Houston up 1-0. The inning ended with 3B-R Morgan Ensberg grounding into a double play.

1B-R Paul Konerko led off the top of the second with a line drive double down the left field line. Oswalt then issued a five-pitch walk to C-L A.J. Pierzynski. Up next, CF-R Aaron Rowand hit a line drive to SS-R Adam Everett, who threw to second to double off Konerko. 3B-R Joe Crede worked Oswalt for an eight-pitch walk, but SS-R Juan Uribe popped out, stranding the runners at first and second. One out into the bottom of the second, RF-R Jason Lane battled RHP Jon Garland for a base on balls, fouling off six pitches of a 10-pitch plate appearance. One of the foul balls was popped up into the first row of fans in the area bordering right field beyond first base. Unobstructed Konerko likely could have caught the ball for an out, but the ball instead went into the upraised glove of a fan within the confines of the stands. As he was not reaching onto the playing field there was no interference, though the fan did not get to keep the ball as it rolled out of his glove and Konerko handed it to a boy a few seats away. Swinging at his first pitch, C-R Brad Ausmus grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Oswalt went one-two-three through the top of the third. Leading off the bottom of the third, Adam Everett hit a broken bat grounder with the ball heading to short while the bat flew towards Garland's legs. Everett beat out the throw for a single and Garland escaped unharmed. With Oswalt at the plate, Chicago called for a pitchout and trapped Everett midway between first and second. Pierzynski threw to second and the White Sox should have had Everett but Uribe's throw struck Everett and bounced away, allowing Everett to return to first on the error. Oswalt subsequently moved Everett to second with a sacrifice bunt. Biggio then hit a groundball into right field for a single that drove in Everett to make the game 2-0 Houston. Following a Taveras strikeout, Berkman hit a line drive single into right field, moving Biggio to third. With runners at first and third, Ensberg hit a grounder into left for a single that drove in Biggio and moved Berkman to second. Lamb struck out, ending the inning with the Astros up 3-0.

While Oswalt walked Pierzynski in the top of the fourth, the White Sox had no other baserunners that inning. Lane smacked a solo shot off the centerfield wall to lead off the bottom of the fourth, increasing Houston's lead to 4-0. Garland then retired the bottom of the Astros' lineup on three consecutive groundouts.

Leading off the fifth, Crede cracked a pitch over the wall in right to give the White Sox their first run of the evening. Uribe then lined a single into left. After a Garland strikeout, Podsednik hit a grounder into right for a single that moved Uribe to second. Iguchi followed with a grounder up the middle, driving in Uribe and advancing Podsednik to second with his single. Up next, Dye dropped a flyball into center for a single, scoring Podsednik and moving Iguchi to second. The runners remained at first and second while Konerko hit a flyball to Taveras in center, but Pierzynski knocked a flyball to the warning track in right-center for a double, allowing both Iguchi and Dye to cross the plate and putting Chicago on top with a 5-4 lead. Oswalt walked Rowand and then plunked Crede under the left arm in the ribs. Crede took offense to being struck, apparently under the belief that it was related to his earlier homer, though it seemed unlikely that Oswalt would risk a bases loaded situation merely for retribution. Oswalt merely smiled uncomfortably while Carl Everett and Manager Phil Garner engaged in a dugout bound shouting match mediated by the home plate umpire. Houston escaped the jam without going deeper in the hole when Uribe hit a flyball to Lane in right field. Garland crushed any hopes of a quick comeback, retiring the top of the Astros' lineup in order.

Two outs into the top of the sixth, Ensberg failed to get in front of a grounder, giving Iguchi first base on his error. However, Iguchi was the White Sox's only baserunner in the sixth. Garland pitched another one-two-three inning in the bottom of the sixth.

After Oswalt opened the seventh with a four-pitch walk to Konerko, the Astros replaced him on the mound with RHP Russ Springer. Konerko remained at first while Springer silenced Chicago's next three batters. Aaron Neville received the nod to sing an over-sentimentalized "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch. Ausmus led off the bottom of the seventh with a five-pitch base on balls and moved to second when Adam Everett laid down a sacrifice bunt. The maneuvering failed to manufacture a run as right-handed hitter Jeff Bagwell, pinch-hitting for Springer, popped out and Garland struck out Biggio.

RHP Dan Wheeler took the ball for Houston for the eighth. After Uribe lined out to right, the White Sox pinch-hit for Garland with switch-hitter Carl Everett. Everett hit a grounder into right for a single, but Wheeler did not allow any other baserunners in the eighth. RHP Cliff Politte replaced Garland on the mound for the bottom of the eighth. Politte retired Taveras and Berkman before walking Ensberg, which prompted Chicago to bring in LHP Neal Cotts to pitch to 1B-L Mike Lamb. When Cotts walked Lamb, the White Sox switched to RHP Dustan Hermanson. Meanwhile, the Astros sent Eric Bruntlett out to run for Lamb. Up next, Lane bashed a grounder down the left field line for a double that moved Bruntlett to third and drove Ensberg home to tie the game at 5. Ausmus struck out before Houston could take the lead.

One out into the ninth, Wheeler sent a pitch too far inside and brushed Konerko's left shoulder, giving him first base. The Astros then sent in LHP Mike Gallo to pitch to Pierzynski. Konerko advanced to second when Pierzynski grounded out, and Houston gave the ball to RHP Brad Lidge to close out the inning. Lidge struck out Rowand to send the game to the bottom of the ninth. Preparing for the long haul, the White Sox opted to send RHP Orlando Hernandez out to the mound. Uribe almost collided with Podsednik in left field as the two pursued Adam Everett's lead off pop-up, but Uribe made the catch. Hernandez then issued LF-R Chris Burke a four-pitch walk. Garner went out to first base to give Burke some kind of instruction before Biggio stepped to the plate. The discussion served to distract Hernandez, who first attempted a pick-off and then a pitch-out. On his second pick-off attempt his throw bounced in the dirt and escaped Konerko, allowing Burke to take second. Burke then stole third on Hernandez's next pitch. Hernandez walked Biggio, giving Houston runners at first and third. Although Taveras struck out, Chicago intentionally walked Berkman after the count reached 2-0 with Hernandez trying to pitch around him. The count went to 2-2 before Hernandez escaped the inning by striking out Ensberg.

In top of the tenth, the bottom of the White Sox's order was unable to get on base against Lidge. Lidge's spot led off the bottom of the tenth, so Houston chose to pinch-hit for him with left-handed hitter Orlando Palmeiro. After Hernandez issued Palmeiro a four-pitch walk, the White Sox brought in RHP Luis Vizcaino. Adam Everett waited for a walk, but Vizcaino kept the Astros from driving in either of their baserunners.

With RHP Chad Qualls now on the mound for Houston, Podsednik led off the top of the eleventh with a groundball single into right. With Iguchi at the plate, Podsednik stole second. The Astros were pitching out and would have had him if Ausmus' throw had been to the right rather than the left of the bag. Podsednik remained at second while Iguchi flew out to right and Dye struck out. Houston then intentionally walked Konerko to bring up left-handed hitter Timo Perez, who was pinch-hitting for Vizcaino. Perez grounded out, ending the top of the inning.

The White Sox went to RHP Bobby Jenks for the bottom of the eleventh. After striking out Biggio, an off-speed pitch bounced off the helmet of a ducking Taveras. Berkman then waited for a walk. The runners remained stranded at first and second as Ensberg popped out and Palmeiro grounded out. Neither Qualls nor Jenks allowed any baserunners in the twelfth. C-R Chris Widger led off the thirteenth with a walk. However, Podsednik then dropped a bunt right in front of the plate, allowing Ausmus to throw to second to retire Widger and Adam Everett to relay to first for the double play. Iguchi ended the inning with a strikeout. LHP Damaso Marte took over from Jenks for the bottom of the thirteenth, and although 2B-S Jose Vizcaino led off with a walk, the Astros failed to drive him in.

RHP Ezequiel Astacio took the ball for Houston for the top of the fourteenth and gave up a leadoff single to Dye. Konerko hit a grounder to third and a strong defensive play by Ensberg allowed the Astros to double off Dye and Konerko, clearing the bases. That fact provided little comfort to Houston fans when 2B-S Geoff Blum thwacked the ball into the right field stands to break the tie. Up next, Rowand hit a groundball single to third. Crede hit a grounder up the third baseline for a single that moved Rowand to second. Astacio then walked Uribe to load the bases. Widger also walked, forcing Rowand across the plate to put Chicago up 7-5. After the run, the Astros sent LHP Wandy Rodriguez out to replace Astacio. Rodriguez struck out Podsednik, giving Houston one inning to retie the game or go down 3-0 in the Series.

In the bottom of the fourteenth, Marte struck out Ensberg before walking Palmeiro. Lane then popped out, leaving the Astros with only one out, though RHP Brandon Backe optimistically ran down to the bullpen to start warming up in preparation for the fifteenth, despite the fact that he is scheduled to start Game 4. With Ausmus at the plate, Palmeiro took second on fielders' indifference. Ausmus hit a grounder to Uribe for what should have been the last out of the game, but Uribe bobbled the ball, allowing Ausmus to safely reach first while Palmeiro advanced to third. At this point, the White Sox called for LHP Mark Buehrle to take the mound against Adam Everett. Everett popped out to short, so Chicago now leads the World Series 3-0 over Houston.

The five hour, forty-one minute, fourteen inning game hits the books as the longest in World Series history.