No matter what spin a baseball player puts on seeing his series squared at 1-1, the winner of game two has created momentum for his side as he moves into game three.

The Angels have to feel pretty good about themselves, knowing that two wins at home can avoid the dreaded trip back to NY on Saturday night for game five on Sunday (see Oakland A’s 2001 highlights to refresh your memory).

The Braves showed the Giants that Kevin Millwood is an ace, and now can look to the mystery man, Greg Maddux (blister?) in game three.

The A’s established their pitching dominance in game two behind Mark Mulder, now have their swagger back as Cy Young hopeful Barry Zito carries the mail in game three.

The Cardinals are sitting pretty knowing that only Miguel Batista, Arizona’s game three starter separates them from a trip to the NLCS.

As we are seeing, a teams fortunes in the Division Series can change more quickly than a teen agers romantic feelings.

Just wait until game three is played and watch the spin the winners and losers place on the results.

Here’s what I think about the next game.Barry Zito is a musician, enjoys loud rock music and will have no trouble adjusting to the noise in the Metrodome today. Zito is the premier lefthander in the American League, only Mark Mulder is in his class from the left side.

The Twins are a decidedly different team against lefties, much, much weaker.

Zito’s pitch count will be the key to the game. Zito throws a lot of pitches as a strikeout pitcher. When you strike batters out, it means you throw a minimum of three and usually more pitches as hurlers work the hitter when they get ahead, further adding to the pitch count.

Now the game gets interesting if Art Howe is forced to go to the bull pen in the seventh inning. Here’s where it gets sticky for the A’s. I don’t think we will see Ted Lilly today, but Cory Lidle may play a big part in getting the ball to Ricardo Rincon and eventually Billy Koch.

Scoring runs will be a big plus for the A’s today. One, it will take the crowd out of the game and two give the manager a cushion in seeing how far Zito can go. Early runs will especially be helpful in quieting the 55,000 hanky waving fans.

Rick Reed has been in the playoffs before, doing quite well as a Met. He is a righty and the A’s hit righties. He will be gone in a heartbeat in favor of the lefties Minnesota has ready if the A’s get to him by the fourth or fifth inning.

Defense will be quite important. The Twins will run on any ball hit to the outfield, knowing how poorly the A’s outfield defense plays.

The key to the game is Zito. He must take his team into the eighth inning and pitch the way he is capable of doing. Then the A’s bull pen can try to get four or five outs, instead of seven, which will be tough to do in the Metrodome.

For the A’s, they don’t want to be down 2-1 with Tim Hudson going on three days rest tomorrow against a rested lefthander Eric Milton.

If the A’s win today, they win the series, even if it takes a game five in Oakland on Sunday with Mark Mulder.

This should be one great game today.

The Angels are hitting homers. The Yankees are hitting home runs, too.

Can anyone pitch for either of these teams? Tonight’s game isn’t as critical for either the Angels or the Yanks, as the A’s game is to Oakland.

Tomorrow David Wells throws against Jarrod Washburn in a very even matchup.

The Angels just need to win to gain confidence that they can beat NY if the fifth game is necessary in the Big Apple.

Ramon Ortiz threw a fine game against NY in the Stadium in August. The key is limiting the damage the first four batters in the NY line up can inflict.

Troy Percival sent a very painful message to Alfonso Soriano when he drilled him in the shoulder blade with his first pitch Thursday night. I expect Soriano will be backed off the plate again tonight.

Mike Mussina has been hot and cold since June after a good start. This one again looks like a game of bull pens, with the contest being decided after the seventh inning. Percival better be ready early because the rest of the Angels pen makes me very nervous.

If the Yanks win tonight they know at worst they are going home for the decisive game, Roger Clemens versus Kevin Appier. Who do you like in that match up?

This is another nail biter for Angel fans. They better hope the bats continue to remain hot, if not, this series will lean heavily towards the Yanks.

Great games tonight. I can’t wait to see the spin the teams put on the meaning of game four during the postgame press conferences.