vs
| 03/24/23 - Home | 20-9 W |
| 03/24/23 - Home | 18-7 W |
| 06/03/21 - Away | 18-2 W |
| 06/03/21 - Away | 26-1 W |
| 05/17/21 - Home | 18-0 W |
| + 5 more games |
Raton is 8-2 against Clayton since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Tigers will host the Yellowjackets at 5:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Raton barely beat Estancia the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Tigers put the hurt on the Bears with a sharp 17-7 victory on Tuesday. Considering the Tigers have won four contests by more than nine runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
The team relied heavily on Azden Romero, who went 3-for-5 with four runs, two triples, and one double. Those two triples gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Brayden Tapia, who scored three runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Raton always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .625. They are 3-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Clayton, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out Tucumcari 11-10 on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Yellowjackets have posted since April 23, 2024.
Max Leal was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. Clayton is 5-1 when Leal posts two or more runs, but 1-3 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Deagan Maez, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
The victory was the third in a row for Raton, bringing their record up to 5-8. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Clayton, their victory bumped their record up to 6-4.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Raton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Clayton struggles in that department as they've averaged .468. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Raton's way against Clayton in their previous matchup back in March of 2023, as Raton made off with a 20-9 win. Do the Tigers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Yellowjackets turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
