Denver West is 0-5 against Manual since March of 2022 but things could change on Monday. The Cowboys will be playing in front of their home fans against the Thunderbolts at 4:15 p.m. Denver West has given up an average of 18.2 runs per game this season, but Monday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Denver West is headed into Monday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 40th straight game dating back to last season on Saturday. They came up short against Strasburg, falling 11-1. That's two games in a row now that the Cowboys have lost by exactly ten runs.
Denver West saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Xzavier Espino, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Manual won against Jefferson on Thursday with 15 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Friday. The Thunderbolts put the hurt on Kennedy with a sharp 15-5 win. The result was nothing new for the Thunderbolts, who have now won ten contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Leo Zimmerman was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out 15 batters over six innings while giving up five earned runs off nine hits (and only one walk). Those 15 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Edgar Salas was a standout: he got on base in all five of his plate appearances with four runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Manual is 8-2 when Salas posts two or more runs, but 3-5 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Jake Carney, who went 2-for-4 with five RBI, one run, and one double.
Manual always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .683. They are a perfect 8-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Manual's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-7. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Denver West, their loss dropped their record down to 0-20.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Denver West has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Manual struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Denver West might still be hurting after the 19-7 defeat they got from Manual when the teams last played last Saturday. Will the Cowboys have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
