Errors happen. River Cats manager Todd Steverson was willing to overlook his team's two defensive lapses in the ninth inning, given the swirling winds around Raley Field.
What had Steverson frustrated Tuesday night was his team's inability to capitalize on offensive opportunities in a 3-2 loss to Colorado Springs.
"That was the more glaring thing than anything else," Steverson said. "We had a runner on third with less than two outs a couple times in the game and got nothing out of it."
The River Cats stranded one runner on third base in the third and fourth innings, then left one more on second in the fifth and eighth.
With six hits for the River Cats, the only productive outing came at the hands of Brooks Conrad, although the shortstop acknowledged that was his only highlight. Conrad's two-run home run over left field in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the River Cats a 2-1 lead until the top of the ninth inning.
"I saw that one well," said Conrad, who finished 1 for 4 with three strikeouts. "The other three times I didn't. Their starter (Glendon Rusch) threw real well and kept us off balance."
Both teams turned in strong pitching performances as River Cats right-hander Kirk Saarloos threw 8 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and two runs, one earned.
"Saarloos threw a heck of a game," Steverson said. "We didn't score a whole lot of runs for him. He got us into the ninth inning."
The Sky Sox opened that inning with Jayson Nix reaching base on a dropped fly ball by center fielder Chris Denorfia. After left-hander Jerry Blevins replaced Saarloos, the Sky Sox scored twice with two outs on singles to the outfield.
River Cats catcher Justin Knoedler threw two runners out during the game before overthrowing second base in the ninth inning for the team's second error.
The River Cats had not logged an error in their previous four contests.
"I guess it's one of those things," Steverson said. "You can't say why it happened. It just happened. It just happened to be an inopportune time."
In the bottom of the ninth, Sky Sox winning pitcher Steven Register retired Jeff Baisley, Carlos Gonzalez and Conrad in order.
Call The Bee's Melody Gutierrez, (916) 326-5521.
