Yes it was, fly balls were dying out there all day. Yes, we would have been upset if he only made 3B on a double (if it fell), but with how the ball was carrying today, staying close to 1B and tagging would have been the right decision.
All these misplays were in the second inning. Additionally, Ryan hit two batters on the first pitch of the PA. Lack of execution has really hurt this team.
Yes, the fact that Larnach slid may have allowed the runner to score, But that runner would not have been there if Clemens executes the relay throw. Defense has not been a strong point with this team for a several seasons now, and that has cost them many games.
No mention of Clemens off-line relay throw? Or Larnach dropping a foul ball where the batter eventually walks? If those two plays are executed the 2nd inning is over and no runs score, Ryan only throws 9 pitches in the inning instead of 26, and Lewis' terrible throwing error to HP never happens. It's also still a 1-1 game.
These defensive lapses matter just as much as the 1-10 with RISP, actually a little more today.