PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Chihuahuas Claim Finale Over Space Cowboys

Published on August 14, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


EL PASO, TX - Despite taking an early lead and tying it up in the middle innings, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (47-67, 14-25) fell to the El Paso Chihuahuas (51-63, 19-20) in their series finale 7-4 on Sunday evening at Southwest University Park. Highlights of tonight's game can be found here.

Bligh Madris singled to begin the first and Marty Costes followed with an RBI triple, giving Sugar Land a 1-0 lead two hitters into the contest. JJ Matijevic then doubled off the right-field wall to plate Costes, extending Matijevic's hitting streak to six games while pushing Sugar Land to a 2-0 advantage. RHP Anderson Espinoza (W, 6-5) struck out the next three hitters, leaving Matijevic in scoring position.

The Chihuahuas tied the game in the bottom of the first on a solo home run and three singles, but Shay Whitcomb threw out a runner at the plate to keep the game tied after one frame. An RBI single by Michael Cantu in the bottom of the second put El Paso ahead 3-2 and an Oscar Mercado solo home run in the third widened the Chihuahuas lead to 4-2.

Sugar Land's comeback started in the top of the fourth inning when César Salazar laced a single to right and Dixon Machado walked, putting a runner in scoring position for Madris, who singled to left, pulling the Space Cowboys within a run at 4-3. Pedro León tied the contest in the top of the fifth with a 415-foot home run to left, his fifth home run of the series and 20th of the season, leveling the score at 4-4.

After LHP Colton Gordon threw three innings and RHP Jimmy Endersby hurled a 1-2-3 fourth, RHP Kyle McGowin (L, 3-7) entered for Sugar Land and gave up a solo home run to Mercado, once again putting the Chihuahuas up by a run. It was the lone mistake of the night for McGowin, who struck out five batters in two innings of relief.

El Paso's bullpen combined to limit the Space Cowboys to just one base runner after the fifth inning, a one-out single by Costes in the seventh, and the Chihuahuas added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull ahead 7-4.

Following an off day on Monday, Sugar Land returns to Constellation Field for a two-week home stand, beginning with a six-game series versus the Round Rock Express. RHP Ronel Blanco is slated to start the series opener on Tuesday night at 7:05 pm while the Express have not named a starter. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV.

Check out the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 14, 2023


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