Baseball Game Preview: Portales Rams vs. Goddard Rockets

Portales is 2-8 against Goddard since June of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Rams will head out to take on the Rockets at 5:00 p.m. Portales has given up an average of 9.4 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Portales is headed into Thursday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fifth straight game on Saturday. They lost 13-1 to Artesia.

Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Goddard made sure to put some runs up on the board against Lovington on Saturday. The Rockets were the clear victors by a 13-7 margin over the Wildcats. With that win, the Rockets brought their scoring average up to 6.3 runs per game.

Goddard got a great performance from Carmelo Ortega as he struck out six batters over 4.1 innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits (and not a single walk). Ortega also tossed no walks, which is notable because the Rockets are 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 6-10 otherwise.

On the hitting side, Airell Aguilar was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Goddard is undefeated when Aguilar posts two or more runs, but 4-11 otherwise. Jose Porras was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double.

Goddard was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .412. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .350 or higher in four consecutive games.

Goddard is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-11 record this season. The team dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 11 runs. As for Portales, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-11.

Portales suffered a grim 8-1 defeat to Goddard in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.