Crystal City is 1-8-1 against Lytle since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Javelinas will venture away from home to take on the Pirates at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Crystal City was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last match, but they sure didn't let that happen against Cotulla on Monday. The Javelinas blew past the Cowboys 11-4. The result was nothing new for the Javelinas, who have now won eight games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Scott Rodriguez was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). Rodriguez was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Adrian Zavala was incredible, firing off two home runs, three runs, and three RBI while going 3-for-5. Those two home runs gave him a new career-high. Robert Alvarado was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run.
Crystal City always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cotulla only posted an OBP of .226.
Meanwhile, Lytle entered their tilt with Hondo on Monday with four consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with five. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 4-3 W against the Owls.
Jair Flores spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on six hits. Lytle is 9-3 when Flores allows three or fewer earned runs, but 7-8 otherwise.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Weston Jackson, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-3. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Lytle's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-11. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Crystal City, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-9 record this season.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Crystal City has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .475. However, it's not like Lytle struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Crystal City couldn't quite finish off Lytle in their previous meeting two weeks ago and fell 8-6. Can the Javelinas avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
