Yucca Valley hasn't had much luck against Indio recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Trojans will take on the Rajahs at 6:00 p.m. Yucca Valley has given up an average of 12.1 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Yucca Valley is headed into Monday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 13th straight game dating back to last season on Thursday. They lost 12-1 to Twentynine Palms.
Meanwhile, Indio had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.4 runs) and they went ahead and made it six last Thursday. They never let the Wildcats get on the board and left with a 10-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Rajahs, who have now won seven games by nine runs or more so far this season.
Zackary Muniz made a big impact no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Those two runs gave him a new career-high.
In other pitching news, Noah Hernandez looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in seven consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Indio let Jose Rodriguez and Julian Mandujano run wild. Rodriguez went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple, while Mandujano went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Rodriguez is becoming a predictor of Indio's success: when he posts at least three hits the team is 3-1 (and 9-10 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Jonathan Sanchez, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Indio hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive contests.
Yucca Valley's loss dropped their record down to 0-12. As for Indio, they now have a winning record of 12-11.
Yucca Valley suffered a grim 19-7 defeat to Indio when the teams last played two weeks ago. Can the Trojans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
