For the second straight day, the winning run in the Twins game came scored when a team tried to bunt the go-ahead run from second to third and the defense not only couldn't take the offered out but threw the ball away.
On Monday it was the Twins' Logan Morrison failing; on Tuesday it was Luke Gregerson of the Cardinals.
Gregerson's miscue is a good example of why I believe the bunt is an underrated play. It makes a pitcher get off the mound and do something out of the routine. That seems to challenge many pitchers, even in the big leagues. That it was on Byron Buxton -- who can motor even when hampered by that hairline fracture in his big toe -- added to the challenge.
Morrison's error doesn't fit my rationale. because he's not a pitcher. And while some first basemen wind up at the position to minimize their need to throw, Morrison is a first baseman because he's not a fast enough runner to play outfield competently.
But the Morrison play did involve a really fast runner -- Dee Gordon was the man on second, and Morrison wanted to make the play at third. He threw the ball away when he had to go to Plan B.
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One other comment: Bobby Wilson, RBI machine. The catcher hit a two-run homer after the Buxton bunt/Gregerson error. That's five RBIs in as many games for him. It won't last, but enjoy it while it does.
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