Three Rivers' Chad Wynn prepares to hustle down the line after making contact Tuesday afternoon against St. Charles at Raider Field. (Alex Abate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

The Raiders couldn't come up with the key hit at key times Tuesday afternoon as they fell in two close games to St. Charles 5-2 and 5-3 at Raider Field.

"Our last three, when you look at the game big picture, defensively we have been pretty good," Three Rivers coach Stacey Burkey said. "It has just proved that one error has put us in a hole and we haven't been able to make up for it offensively."

In the first game, the Raiders (9-8, 5-5 XVI) fell behind 1-0 in the first inning but took the lead in the second inning. Tyler Smith grounded out and Shane Adair struck out before Nathan Booker singled to keep the inning alive.

Scott Hudgins was hit and Mitch Thomson walked to load the bases with two outs. Chad Wynn then singled to score both Booker and Hudgins before Anthony Gower flew out to end the inning.

Three Rivers held that lead until the top of the fourth when St. Charles scratched across two runs to take the lead 3-2. The Cougars added insurance in the sixth.

Kenny Bechaud doubled to right-center field before two straight outs put Raiders pitcher Tyler Jinks just one out away from getting through six innings. However, Adam Rush singled to score Bechaud to make it 4-2 chasing Jinks.

St. Charles added another run against Three Rivers' Jason Hammer to make it 5-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Booker singled past the third baseman to start the rally and Scott Hudgins was hit to put runners at first and second with no one out. Thomson sacrificed the runners a base for one out but Gower up and Wynn were both unable to get hits and the Raiders added nothing in the frame. They were shut out in the seventh inning which set the final score.

"We stranded 12 runners in the game and you take any one of several innings, if any we can scratch across a couple it changes the outlook of the game," Burkey said.

Jinks pitched 5 2/3 innings in the loss and had four strikeouts but walked three and hit three.

"Jinks wasn't as sharp as he has been," Burkey said. "He hit three and walked three which is pretty uncharacteristic of him to this point."

In the second game, St. Charles got off to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first and led 5-0 after batting in the fourth. The Raiders countered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and got another run the seventh but it could have been much more.

Shane Crossen singled, Tyler Smith doubled and Booker singled to score Crossen and cut the Raiders' deficit to two. However Scott Hudgins worked a full count but watched strike three to end the game.

"I was pleased with our approach at the plate and it is something we emphasized in practice and did a good job with throughout the day, but when you get down to it, we couldn't pull the trigger," Burkey said.

Josh Cruse threw six innings and had three strikeouts while allowing five two earned. Ryne Millsap finished the game for the Raiders with one inning of work which included two strikeouts.