CLEVELAND, Ohio --
The Gladiators had it all the way.
OK, maybe not. But it counts just the same.
Backup quarterback Chris Dieker threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Thyron Lewis as time expired as the Gladiators stunned the Spokane Shock, 52-50, Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.
The Gladiators are 5-0 overall, 4-0 on the road. Their next game is against the Pittsburgh Power this coming Saturday night at The Q.
The Shock (3-2) had taken a 50-46 lead with 13 seconds left when quarterback Erik Meyer threw a touchdown pass to Hank Edwards.
After a kickoff return got the ball to the Cleveland 8 with four seconds remaining, Dieker completed a quick pass to Dominick Goodman for 13 yards. The clock stopped with 1.8 seconds left. Dieker dropped back and heaved the ball deliberately off the net on the right side. Lewis cleanly grabbed the carom and the crowd went silent.
Spokane opened the second half with the ball and a 28-17 lead. Meyer, so sharp in the first half, was intercepted in Shock territory by Gladiators defensive back Joe Phinisee.
Two plays later, Gladiators starting quarterback Shane Austin threw a short touchdown pass to Goodman. A delay of game pushed the extra-point attempt back, and Aaron Pettrey missed it.
On the ensuing kickoff return, Spokane appeared to fumble and lose possession to Cleveland, but it wasn't called as such. Gladiators coach Steve Thonn's challenge paid off in a reversal.
The Gladiators quickly capitalized, Austin scoring on a sneak for a 29-28 lead. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Spokane made it three straight turnovers when Meyer was picked by Marrio Norman at the 25. Norman pitched to Phinisee, who took it to the house. Pettrey's extra point gave Cleveland a 36-28 advantage.
Spokane finally righted itself long enough to score a touchdown. The extra point cut the Shock's deficit to 36-35 with 4:42 left in the third.
The Gladiators carried the one-point lead into the fourth quarter. They moved inside the Spokane 10 but Austin threw an interception at the 1 with 12:22 left. Austin's defense picked him up, forcing a Spokane turnover on downs inside the Gladiators 10.
Austin redeemed himself with a long TD pass to Lewis. Pettrey's kick made it 43-35 with 6:50 remaining.
Spokane answered with a touchdown and two-point pass to tie the score, 43-43, with 4:48 left.
When the Gladiators got the ball back, Dieker was their quarterback. Dieker had begun the season as Thonn's No. 1 but lost the job to Austin by Week 4.
Dieker converted a fourth-and-1 outside the Spokane 7 with a sneak. The possession stalled, though. Former Buckeye Pettrey kicked a field goal for a 46-43 lead with 43.2 seconds left.
Then Meyer found Edwards, and all appeared lost for Cleveland. Except it wasn't.
Meyer went 14-of-17 for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. He also rushed for two TDs. Austin was 11-of-21 for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted once -- his first of the season.
The Gladiators missed a long field-goal attempt as time expired in the half.
Austin, the reigning AFL player of the week, entered Saturday at 56-of-87 for 684 yards and 14 TDs. He led the league's quarterbacks in rating (128.07).