Compare & Contrast

Look. The Rattlers have had a lot...I mean a LOT... of tough losses this season. But, compare the Rattlers loss last night to the loss South Bend had at Quad Cities last night.

First, from the Rattlers game story:

Howell recorded another strikeout, his sixth of the game to set a professional high for a single game, to get Wisconsin to within one out of the win.

Then, Nommensen dropped a bunt up the third base line on the first pitch of his at bat and just beat the throw to first as Morrison scored [from third with] the tying run.

A similar circumstance led to the winning run in the tenth. Gabe Cohen singled and was sacrificed to second base with reliever Caleb Thielbar on the hill. Thielbar got the second out of the inning on a strikeout. Morrison sent a slow grounder to third. Cohen flashed in front of Dykstra and avoided being hit by the ball. Dykstra's throw to first was not in time to get the speedy Morrison. Cohen never stopped running and would score without a play.

Now, from the QC Times:

The River Bandits scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth after a pair of South Bend outfielders slipped on the outfield grass at Modern Woodmen Park, allowing Quad-Cities to savor a 7-6 Midwest League victory over the Silver Hawks.
...
Niko Vasquez drove home the game-winning run with a two-out double that eluded the grasp of South Bend left fielder Victor Estevez, who slipped face-first onto the turf to allow Jason Stidham to score the deciding run and complete a comeback that began with Quad-Cities trailing 6-1 midway through the sixth inning.

Stidham reached base in similar fashion in a ninth inning that opened with a walk to Edgar Lara.

But Quad-Cities was down to its last out when Ryan Jackson singled to center, moving Lara to second. Stidham followed by pounding a double to right.

Silver Hawks right fielder, Alberto Diaz, slipped as he attempted to chase the ball and tumbled to the turf as two runs scored.

Diaz had to be helped off the field before Vasquez added to South Bend's misery with his second hit of the game, an RBI that allowed Quad-Cities to maintain its one-game lead over Clinton for the second of two available Western Division first-half playoff spots.

Yeesh.