Conrad's pivotal error sets DS List

ATLANTA - No excuses, Braves second baseman Brooks Conrad said Sunday night. The sun does not blind you with a high pop lost. The critical grounder in the ninth that lost the game was not a bad jump.

Conrad made three errors to establish a Division Series record for a single game in the Braves' 3-2 loss to the Giants in Game 3 of the ALDS in the National League at Turner Field on Sunday. The last fumble was on a grounder that went through the windows as much as they slipped between the legs of Bill Buckner in deciding Game 6 of the 1986 World Series when the Mets beat the Red Sox.

During the ninth inning, Freddy Sanchez finished scoring the winning run in what looked like a double play groundout by Buster Posey hit up the middle. The error was Conrad's fourth in the series, setting a record of the ALDS. Conrad three on Sunday tied the overall record of one playoff game shared by other 11 players.

"It's totally embarrassing," said Conrad, a group of reporters later. "Once again, I felt like everyone down. I feel very bad. It's a lot to swallow. The latter, I have followed all the way and tried to stay in front, at least. It seemed to go through me. [It was] a strange feeling, but no excuses. It was a terrible performance tonight.

"I will do my best to overcome it, but probably will not happen for a long time, if ever."

The Giants now lead the best of five series, 2-1, and can complete their first playoff series victory in eight years with a victory here on Monday night. If the Braves win Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday evening in San Francisco.

Many of the players in Atlanta seemed so traumatized than their counterparts in Boston 24 years ago. Eric Hinske had given the Braves what proved to be a short-lived 2-1 lead with a two-run homer as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth.

The loss was then snatched from the jaws of victory.

"What do you say to the girl?" Braves first baseman Derrek Lee. "There is nothing to say, and you may not want to hear anyway. Just tell him we're behind him, we've all been through terrible nights like this. You just get over it and get back out there tomorrow ".

Manager Bobby Cox did not commit after the game when asked if Conrad, 30-year-old native of San Diego, would be in the lineup again on Monday.

"I'll sleep on it," Cox said.

Conrad has played regularly at second base end of the season due to injuries to Chipper Jones and Martin Prado. When Jones blew out his knee this summer, Prado moved from second base to third and was replaced by Omar Infante center. When he injured his hip on the Prado, near the end of the season, Cox tried to Conrad in the third, then the flip-flop with the infant.