Conrad's errors are a San Francisco treat

ATLANTA - Brooks Conrad bobbled a grounder. Then he dropped a pop-up. Finally, a hard shot skidded under his glove in the ninth inning for his third error of the game, allowing the Giants to rally for a 3-2 victory over the Braves Sunday night.

The Braves were within one out of taking control of the NL Division Series, but a 30-year-old journeyman infielder who wouldn't have been playing if not for season-ending injuries to Chipper Jones and Martin Prado simply couldn't catch the ball.

After Aubrey Huff's two-out single tied it in the ninth, Buster Posey's grounder went right under Conrad's glove to allow Freddy Sanchez to score the go-ahead run. It was Posey's worst miscue yet in a performance that might speed up the retirement of Braves manager Bobby Cox.

Brian Wilson shut down the Braves in the bottom of the ninth to give the Giants a 2-1 lead in a tense best-of-five series in which all three games have been decided by one run.

San Francisco can close it out Monday night. For Conrad, the memories of this one will linger for a lifetime. He tied a postseason record for errors in a game and became the fourth second baseman to make three, according to STATS LLC.

"It was completely embarrassing," said Conrad, who has made eight errors in the last seven games dating to the regular season. "Once again, I feel like I let everyone down. I wish I could just dig a hole and sleep in it."

Atlanta did nothing against Jonathan Sanchez, managing only two hits in 7 1/3 innings, and the Giants led 1-0 on an unearned run provided by Conrad's second error, that dropped pop-up in short rightfield in the second.

But when pinch hitter Eric Hinske lined a two-run homer off Sergio Romo in the eighth, the Braves took a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, there was no Billy Wagner to close it out. He was removed from the roster before the game with a pulled muscle in his left side. Cox said Wagner - who is retiring after this season - tried to throw "and he can't go at all."

The Braves replaced the 38-year-old with another veteran, righthander Takashi Saito. By replacing Wagner, the Braves will be without the lefthander for the remainder of the Division Series and, if they advance, the NLCS. He would be eligible if the Braves play in the World Series.

Last night, rookie reliever Craig Kimbrel was within one out of a save before the Giants rallied. Huff tied it with a run-scoring single off Mike Dunn. Then Posey hit a grounder to just the right man. It skidded right through Conrad and into centerfield. "I thought he would make the play," Posey said. "I wouldn't wish that on anybody."

The wild finish overshadowed Sanchez's brilliant performance - he didn't allow a hit until Braves pitcher Tim Hudson singled in the sixth - and Hinske's dramatic homer.

The blunders by Conrad cost them. He was one of the last guys to make the Braves' roster out of spring training and spent his first full year in the majors. He was primarily a backup, though he did provide one of the season's most dramatic moments with a pinch-hit grand slam that capped a seven-run ninth inning in May.

Now Atlanta needs to win the final two games to extend Cox's career. "We had this one won . . . but we can't afford to make mistakes," he said.

He is known for defending his players more than perhaps any other manager, but even he might be forced to make a change at second base. "I'll have to sleep on it" was all he would say when asked if Conrad will stay in the lineup.