PORTLAND, Ore. -- Tris Speaker hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Portland Beavers a 3-2 victory over the Hoodsport Raspberries in game five of the Century League World Series. The blast off Hoodsport starter Dolf Luque set off a wild celebration at Portland Civic Stadium and gave the Beavers a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, which resumes Wednesday at Hoodsport.

It was the second straight game in which Speaker drove home the winning run with a long ball. His two-run homer in the seventh inning of game four broke a 3-3 tie in a game eventually won by Portland 6-3. Today's ninth-inning blast was more dramatic for three reasons: it was a walk-off homer, it came in the pivotal game five with the series tied, and it may have broken the spirits of the underdog Hoodsport club, which came within three outs of the victory, only to have it snatched away by the Beavers.

The Raspberries, champions of the National Century League and representatives of the 20s, had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth on a suicide squeeze bunt by Dave Bancroft. The play left a runner on third with two down and Luque coming to the plate. Hoodsport manager Wilbert Robinson elected to stick with Luque rather than pinch hit and try to get another run. Luque struck out.

"Dang right I left Dolf in there," said Robinson in a somber Razzie clubhouse after the game. "Sumbitch had a friggin' three-hitter going. No way I'm pulling him right after we finally got him a lead."

Luque had not allowed a hit since Speaker's leadoff single in the fourth, and had allowed only one runner, on a one-out walk to Home Run Baker in the seventh. Robinson had southpaw Eppa Rixey throwing in the bullpen, preparing to face left-handed hitters if Luque got into trouble. Trouble arrived and was over in a flash.

Napoleon Lajoie, the American Century League batting champ who is hitting just .217 for the series, drilled a 1-1 pitch into the gap in right center field for a double. Speaker blasted Luque's next pitch into the right field stands for the game-winning homer.

The shot made a winner of starter Ed Walsh, who went the distance, scattering eight hits, striking out nine and walking just one batter. Walsh retired the first seven men he faced before giving up one of two doubles to Bancroft in the third.

Portland, the ACL champ from the teens, took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning. Baker doubled to right center with one out, and scored on a single up the middle by Wally Schang. Luque gave up just one more hit through the eighth inning.

The Razzies pulled even with a run off Walsh in the sixth. Kiki Cuyler led off with a triple to left. Jackson tried to make a shoestring catch on the sinking liner, but missed. The ball got past him and rolled to the wall, allowing the speedy Cuyler to race to third. Pie Traynor hit a fly ball to Sam Crawford in right, and Cuyler tagged and scored easily to make it 1-1.

It remained knotted until the top of the ninth, when Walsh issued his only walk, a leadoff pass to Jim Bottomley. Chick Hafey was called out on strikes for the first out. Gabby Hartnett followed with a double to deep left center. Bottomley made a wide turn around third, but Speaker cut the ball off before it went through to the wall, so Robinson flashed the stop sign, not wishing to risk running on Speaker, who has an outstanding throwing arm. Instead, Uncle Robby called for the suicide squeeze from Bancroft, playing shortstop for the injured Frank Frisch. Bancroft laid down a beauty that Walsh fielded; he took a long look at the plate, but Bottomley had a huge jump on the play and scored easily, and Walsh took the out at first. That set the stage for Speaker's heroics.

Speaker is batting .500 (10-for-20) for the series. He went 1-for-7 in the first two games at Hoodsport. In three home games at Portland he was 9-for-13 with five doubles and three homers, including two game-winners. He has eight RBI for the series.

"He's havin' a heck of a series, ain't he?" asked Portland manager Hughie Jennings. "Ee-yah, the guy did it for us all year, but real quiet-like, while them other guys like (Ty) Cobb and Shoeless (Joe Jackson) and the pitchers got all of the attention."

Speaker finished fifth in the ACL in batting at .326, but was only third on the Portland club, behind Cobb and Lajoie. He hit 22 homers, scored 100 runs and knocked in 83.

"Clearly, we don't know how to get that dang guy out," lamented Robinson of Speaker. "We'll have Artie (Nehf) going against them on Wednesday. Let's hope a tough lefty can get some of them Beaver southpaws out, and then we can come back with Coop (Wilbur Cooper) again for game seven."

Nehf will start game six against Portland's Chief Bender in a rematch of game two, won by the Beavers 10-5. Jennings is confident returning to enemy turf, where the Beavers split the first two games of the series.

"Dang, yes, we're in good shape," he said. "We up 3-2. Chief won 17 for us with the best ERA in the league. And if we need another game, I 'spect the Big Train (Walter Johnson) will be ready."

Johnson and Cooper squared off in games one and four, with Hoodsport taking the opener 12-0 and Portland game four 6-3.

Both clubs expect an injured player back for game six. Portland's Cobb crashed into a wall in game one and sprained his knee. He was still limping today, but Jennings figures that, with the day off, Cobb will be able to go Wednesday. Likewise with Frankie Frisch of Hoodsport, who suffered bruised ribs when hit by a pitch in game three. He was feeling better today and should be able to swing again for game six.