The Carillon Sultans needed a win Tuesday night and they got it.

Jared Esau and Reid Howard combined on a seven-hitter as Carillon edged Elmwood 5-4 at Charleswood Park and avoided elimination.

That cuts the Giants lead in the Manitoba Junior Baseball League's best-of-five semifinal to two games to one.

With the game tied 4-4, the Sultans got their go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning when Cody Bartel scored from third on Kaan Bitchok's sacrifice fly.

The Sultans, who pounded out 14 hits in game two's 9-8 loss on Monday, had nine more in game three last night.

"When you're hot, you're hot," said Bartel. "Everyone is swinging good, seeing the ball well and just driving baseballs and hitting line drives. That's all we need."

Carillon catcher Nick Grenier had a single, double and scored two runs.

Esau got the start in game three and allowed four runs on six hits in his four-and-a-third innings of work.

Howard came in with one out and the bases loaded and got Brendyn Perron to line out into a double play to end the fifth.

"I feel like I perform better when it's a must-win game," said Howard who shutdown the Giants in order in the bottom of the seventh inning. "In college I was a closer and I tried starting some games this year and it just never goes well. I like the end of the game. I like the adrenaline and everything. I can throw strikes when I need to I guess but not when I start a game so it feels better that way."

Game four goes tonight (7 p.m.) at A.D. Penner Park in Steinbach.

Sultans manager Alex Grenier says his team is playing with a lot of confidence.

"We're hitting the ball hard and it's taking Elmwood by surprise. What the big deal is, our guys have learned how to win now, and the guys in the other dugout understand that they can lose. That's worrisome for them."