Error in right field wasn't Miguel Sano's only miscue vs. Brewers

Scooter Gennett's line drive to right field Tuesday looked to be catchable — but the closer it got to Miguel Sano, the more unlikely that became.

The Twins rookie had a tough time reading ball as it approached him with the Target Field stands in the background. Tracking baseballs coming out of fans' shirts have troubled more than one outfielder, and it sure did this time.

Sano bent his knees as he tried to pick up the ball, then stuck out his glove where he thought it was going. He missed and the ball went to the wall. Gennett went to second and eventually scored the first of what was three unearned runs for the Brewers in the fifth inning of a 6-5 victory, because of Sano's error.

"This is a mistake that I made," Sano said. "Low line drive and I tried to take it in, but I lose [sight of] it in the fans. I lose it a little bit, but I tried to stop it."

Watch the misplay here

It's the latest, and perhaps most glaring, mistake Sano has made in right field as he tries to learn a new position. The former third baseman reported to spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., with no experience in right field at any level. Sano is learning on the fly.

"There's going to be some mistakes along the way," manager Paul Molitor said. "It looked like he got a little fooled on that ball somehow and wasn't able to glove it. Just going to encourage him to learn when things don't go his way and don't dwell on it. It is part of the process. You turn the page and you keep playing."

Ervin Santana looked up in disbelief when the ball got by Sano. Santana then walked a batter and gave up a run-scoring double to Jonathan Lucroy. But the veteran righthander maintained that the error did not affect his poise on the mound.

"This is part of the game," Santana said. "You have to make an adjustment anyways, so I have to keep my mentality and get people out. Forget about what happened.

"You can't let that mistake control you the whole game, just have to keep pitching."

How is Sano in the outfield? He is blessed with a strong throwing arm, which has been on display a few times. As far as getting good jumps and running the proper routes, that's been a work in progress.

So far, Sano has a defensive run saved rating of minus-4. Torii Hunter, who played 123 games in right field last season, had a rating of minus-8. Defensive runs saved measures the runs a player saves or allows compared to the average player.

The Twins have been quick to point out that his bat will win them many more games, although he has gotten off to a slow start at the plate, batting .191 with one home run.

"We don't sweat it that much," second baseman Brian Dozier said. "His No. 1 job is to drive runners in. He's been playing fine in the outfield. A couple of mistakes, heck, we all make mistakes.

"I feel like he's moving well out there. He's hitting his cutoff men. Throwing the ball really well from the outfield. A couple of mistakes, here and there, you can live with that."

While he might have cost the Twins three runs with his glovework Tuesday, Sano didn't deliver at the plate, either.

In the first inning, he came up with the bases loaded and nobody out but grounded into a double play that scored a run.

The Twins say there will be times when Sano succeeds in those situations — as well as times when he makes big plays in the field.

For now, he continues to learn a new position, and it won't be pretty at times.