Braves Vs. Giants, NLDS Game 3: Braves Bullpen, Brooks Conrad Melt Down In Ninth

Everything seemed to be going the Braves' way after Eric Hinske hit his dramatic go-ahead home run. Even without Billy Wagner, the Braves had reason to be confident in their bullpen's ability to close out the top of the ninth.

Jonny Venters got the ball and induced a Cody Ross pop out to lead off. Venters then walked pinch-hitter Travis Ishikawa, but a strikeout of Andres Torres brought Atlanta an out away from clinching Game 3 in theatrical fashion.

Then Freddy Sanchez grounded a single up the middle, and an uncomfortable Bobby Cox came out to replace Venters with the left-handed Michael Dunn to face Aubrey Huff. And on an 0-1 count, Huff reached out and yanked a slider into right field for an RBI single to tie the game at two.

That wasn't it, though. Cox subsequently replaced Dunn with the right-handed Peter Moylan to face Buster Posey, and Posey slapped a groundball to second baseman Brooks Conrad, but Conrad allowed the ball to pass right through the wickets for his third error of the game. Sanchez came around to score on the play, and the Giants claimed a 3-2 lead.

Nate Schierholtz struck out to end the frame, but it was a disastrous sequence of events for the Braves, and they'll now have to fight back against Brian Wilson if they want to avoid total heartbreak.