PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Dirden Homers as Sugar Land Wins in Front of a Sellout Crowd

Published on May 12, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


SUGAR LAND, TX - An RBI single in the sixth and another solid outing from the bullpen helped the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (15-21) take down the El Paso Chihuahuas (16-21) 5-3 in front of a sellout crowd on Friday night at Constellation Field. Highlights of tonight's game can be found here. Jose Altuve's post outing availability can be found here.

Sugar Land jumped out to a lead in the bottom of the second inning. JJ Matijevic led off with a double that banged the left-field wall and advanced to third on a failed pick off by LHP Jay Groome (L, 1-3). Pedro León delivered Matijevic with a flair single to right, making it 1-0 Space Cowboys. After a ground out, Justin Dirden hoisted a two-run homer to right, his sixth of the year, putting Sugar Land up 3-0.

The Chihuahuas got two back in the top of the third inning on a two-out, two-RBI double from Alfonso Rivas, bringing El Paso within a run at 3-2. RHP Jayden Murray finished the third and then struck out a batter in a scoreless fourth, giving him six strikeouts across four frames of work. RHP Matt Ruppenthal (W, 3-0) tossed a scoreless fifth but an RBI single from David Dahl in the sixth tied the contest at 3-3.

The bottom third of the lineup gave the Space Cowboys the lead again in the sixth. Dirden drew a lead-off walk from Groome, the second walk of the evening for Dirden, and a Joe Perez single put the go-ahead run at second. Dixon Machado singled up the middle to drive in Dirden, pushing the Space Cowboys back in front 4-3.

LHP Blake Taylor (H, 2) took over in the top of the seventh and spun a pair of scoreless innings. Sugar Land got some breathing room in the eighth when Rylan Bannon walked and stole second before a walk to Perez and a single by Machado loaded the bases. Grae Kessinger, who came in as a replacement for Jose Altuve in the top of the eighth, hit a sacrifice fly to center, adding an insurance run to make it 5-3 Space Cowboys.

In the top of the ninth, RHP Joe Record (S, 3) got a ground out for the first out and had Rivas reach on a single. Tim Lopes hit a dribbler up the middle that Kessinger fielded and turned into a double play to bring the game to a close.

With a chance to pick up a series victory, the Space Cowboys continue their six-game set with El Paso on Saturday evening. RHP Forrest Whitley (1-2, 6.00) is slated to start for Sugar Land against Chihuahuas' RHP Matt Waldron (0-3, 8.01) for a 6:05 pm 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

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 12, 2023


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