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Blubaugh Dominant in Another Close Game with Express
April 17, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release
SUGAR LAND, TX - Thanks to a timely hit by Shay Whitcomb and a marvelous pitching performance by RHP AJ Blubaugh (W, 2-0), the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (12-5) defeated the Round Rock Express (7-10) 2-1 on Wednesday night at Constellation Field in their second-straight one-run game.
Derek Hill got Round Rock on the board with a lead-off home run on the first pitch Blubaugh threw. The righty responded by retiring the next 10 batters in a row, including five via strikeout, turning in 1-2-3 innings in the second and third.
Sugar Land found some luck against Round Rock's starter RHP Gerson Garabito (L, 0-1) in the bottom of the third, when Jesús Bastidas was hit by a pitch and Pedro León singled into centerfield. Bastidas and León would pull off a double steal to move to second and third for Whitcomb, who knocked both in on a line drive to center, making it 2-1 Space Cowboys.
Blubaugh pitched 6.1 innings of one-run ball with no walks and eight strikeouts, a season high amongst all Sugar Land pitchers. He generated 15 swings-and-misses and threw 83 pitches, 55 for strikes.
After Blubaugh was removed with one out in the top of the seventh following a single, LHP Bryan King (H, 3) allowed a single and a walk as the Express threatened to impact the score. He proceeded to get two huge strikeouts of Jonathan Ornelas and Jax Biggers to keep the lead intact. RHP Ray Gaither (H, 2) pitched a 1-2-3 scoreless inning in the eighth. In the top of the ninth, RHP Wander Suero (S, 2) loaded the diamond full of Express baserunners with only one out, but was able to retire the next two batters, most notably the third out, Andrew Knapp's strikeout, to give the Space Cowboys their 12th win of the season.
León had four of the six Space Cowboys hits, his second four-hit game of the season and his fifth multi-hit game. Bastidas was hit by a pitch in two of his four at bats, and Whitcomb drove both runs Sugar Land scored.
The Space Cowboys play their third game of a six-game series against the Round Rock Express Thursday night. RHP Rhett Kouba (1-1, 2.45) is set to take the mound for a 6:35 pm CT first pitch. Round Rock's starter is TBD. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV or Bally Live.
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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 17, 2024
- Blubaugh Dominant in Another Close Game with Express - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Express Fall 2-1 to Space Cowboys on Wednesday Night - Round Rock Express
- Bees Fall Short in Wednesday Matinee against Reno - Salt Lake Bees
- Albuquerque Tops El Paso 7-4 Wednesday - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Aces Outshine Bees in a 6-4 Victory - Reno Aces
- Deacon Jones Memorial Garden to be Unveiled on Thursday at Constellation Field - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Late Sacramento Surge Falls Just Short at Oklahoma City - Sacramento River Cats
- Homers Power OKC Baseball Club to Series-Evening Win - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- April 17 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers at Las Vegas Aviators - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Baseball Club Game Notes - April 17, 2024 - Oklahoma City Baseball Club
- Tacoma Shuts Out Las Vegas In Opener - Tacoma Rainiers
- Isotopes Fall in Series Opener, 12-4 - Albuquerque Isotopes
- El Paso Takes Down Albuquerque, 12-4 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Bees Drop Series Opener to Reno - Salt Lake Bees
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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