PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Comeback Spoiled as Chihuahuas Walk-off Space Cowboys

August 12, 2023 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


EL PASO, TX - In a contest that featured four lead changes, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (47-65, 14-23) took the lead in the ninth but fell to the El Paso Chihuahuas (49-63, 17-20) on a walk-off home run, 9-8, on Friday night at Southwest University Park. Highlights of tonight's game can be found here.

Trailing 7-3 heading to the sixth, the Space Cowboys started their comeback on a solo home run to center by Marty Costes, his second of the season, moving Sugar Land within a trio of runs. The Space Cowboys cut the deficit to just one in the seventh thanks to a two-out rally when Rylan Bannon walked, Corey Junks reached on a fielding error and JJ Matijevic walked, ending the night for RHP Jose Espada (H, 1). RHP Domingo Tapia (H,1) entered and issued back-to-back walks to Bligh Madris and Shay Whitcomb, forcing in two more runs to make it 7-6.

RHP Misael Tamarez (L, 0-7) came on for Sugar Land in the sixth and threw three perfect innings, striking out a batter in each inning to keep the Space Cowboys within a run. Julks lead off the top of the ninth with a single and motored around to third on a single to right by Matijevic. Madris dropped down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Matijevic to second and Whitcomb was intentionally walked, bringing up Costes. The designated hitter smoked a double to the left-field gap, plating two runs to push Sugar Land into the lead at 8-7.

Tamarez returned for the bottom of the ninth and retired the first two batters he faced, giving him 11 straight batters sat down out of the bullpen. Ben Gamel fell behind in a two-strike count but doubled to left, and Rangel Ravelo hit a two-strike home run to give El Paso their 9-8 victory.

Sugar Land got out to an early lead using a set of home runs. Madris walked to lead-off the second and Whitcomb uncorked a two-run shot to left, his 16th of the year with Sugar Land and 28th overall, putting the Space Cowboys up 2-0. Madris launched a solo home run of his own in the third, his 13th of the year, widening the Space Cowboys lead to 3-0.

Oscar Mercado tied the game for El Paso with a three-run homer in the third, and the Chihuahuas used a pair of two-run home runs in the bottom of the fourth to open up their 7-3 advantage.

With the series even at 2-2, Sugar Land continues their six-game tilt with El Paso on Saturday night. RHP Brandon Bielak is set to take the hill for the Space Cowboys opposite Chihuahuas' LHP Jay Groome for a 7:35 pm CT first pitch. 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



Pacific Coast League Stories from August 12, 2023


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