The road has taken its toll on the Lugnuts already and Lansing has only been gone for two days.
After taking three of four games from Wisconsin (19-18) last week at home, the Lugnuts (21-14) have now dropped two straight to the Timber Rattlers.
That isn't all Lansing is dropping. In two games in Appleton, Wisc., the 'Nuts have committed a combined 13 errors - nine in one game alone. While the Rattlers have scored 24 runs, just 10 have been earned.
Lugnut manager Julio Garcia said although his team has been impressive as of late, he knew taking the road against a squad like Wisconsin would be a challenge.
"It's going to be hard," Garcia said. "It's always tough to play them."
Now the Lugnuts must win the next two games to salvage a series split.
On Wednesday, Lugnut third baseman Donny Hood committed a throwing error which allowed two runs to score in the bottom of the first inning.
Wisconsin added four more runs in the third, two of them coming off the bat of first baseman Jon Nelson. Nelson parked starter Justin Jones' pitch over the fence in left field, marking the first surrendered home run of the Lansing lefty's professional career.
The Lugnuts managed to collect one run in the fourth and add two more in the eighth but couldn't seem to crack Rattler pitcher Bobby Livingston (5-1). In eight innings, Livingston held the 'Nuts to eight hits and three runs.
Jones took the loss for Lansing and drops to 1-3 on the season.
"We played Wisconsin (at home) really well," Garcia said. "I guess you just have to go with the old rule - if we'll finish .500 on the road, we'll be fine.
"I hope now we can at least come back .500."
An all-time club-high nine errors on Tuesday found the Lugnuts staring down the barrel of a 17-7 loss to the Rattlers.
Lansing starter Carlos Vasquez allowed six hits, walking one and striking out three while working the mound for three innings.
The southpaw hurler surrendered just three earned runs, but sloppy defense more than doubled the offensive total allowing Wisconsin's 8-2 lead after three innings.
"I thought I pitched well, there were just too many errors in the field," Vasquez said. "It was a very bad day for our whole team."
An RBI from left fielder Jason Fransz put Lansing on the board in the first inning, but it was the only time the team would lead. Wisconsin's half of the inning quickly transformed the 1-0 lead into a 3-1 deficit, gathering runs off of an error, a wild pitch and a triple.
Fransz closed the gap to one in the third inning with a RBI two-bagger. The Lansing defense responded by allowing a five-run Rattler explosion on costly errors from shortstop Buck Coats and third baseman Robinson Chirinos in the bottom of the third.
The Lansing bats mustered a final effort in the fourth, amassing four runs to pull within two, 8-6, but the Rattlers scored seven runs over the next two innings to secure the victory.
A total of six Lugnut hurlers were used in the contest, with Vasquez taking the loss. He moves to 3-2 on the season. Wisconsin righty Juan Sandoval (1-3) earned his first win of the season despite allowing nine hits and seven runs in five innings of work.
Lansing and the Rattlers continue the series today at 7:35 p.m.
