Baseball Game Preview: Port of Los Angeles Polar Bears vs. Gardena Panthers

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Previous 3 Games

03/13/24 - Away	8-4 W
02/08/19 - Away	2-1 W
03/26/18 - Away	11-4 W

Port of Los Angeles is a perfect 3-0 against Gardena since March of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Port of Los Angeles Polar Bears will be playing at home against the Gardena Panthers at 3:00 p.m.

Port of Los Angeles easily dispatched Santee on Friday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. Port of Los Angeles fell just short of Rancho Dominguez by a score of 6-4 on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Polar Bears have suffered against the Lobos since March 20, 2015.

Port of Los Angeles saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jonathan Rosette, who scored a run while going 3-for-4. Jessie Guevara also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.

Meanwhile, Gardena posted their closest victory since April 20, 2024 on Monday. They skirted past Fremont 3-1.

Anthony Garcia made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). He has become a key player for Gardena: the team is undefeated when he allows at most three hits, but 1-3 otherwise. Garcia was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases and one RBI.

Port of Los Angeles now has a losing record of 2-3. As for Gardena, their win ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 4-3.

Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Port of Los Angeles has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Gardena struggles in that department as they've averaged .459. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Port of Los Angeles was able to grind out a solid victory over Gardena in their previous meeting back in March of 2024, winning 8-4. Does Port of Los Angeles have another victory up their sleeve, or will Gardena turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.