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PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Dominant Pitching Performance Clinches First Half Title for Space Cowboys

June 20, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


EL PASO, TX - On a night where the West Texas wind was swirling, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (47-24) kept the El Paso Chihuahuas (29-42) offense quiet in a 7-1 victory on Wednesday night at Southwest University Park. With the victory, the Space Cowboys have clinched the first half Pacific Coast League title and will host the Pacific Coast League Championship series in September. [?Folder icon] Highlights of tonight's game can be found here.

RHP Ryan Gusto (W, 1-1) filled up the zone early on, hurling two shutout frames on 21 pitches, 19 of which were strikes. El Paso scored their only run of the night thanks to three straight two-out singles in the third, taking a 1-0 lead. After that, the righty recovered to throw two more innings, spinning five innings while allowing just one run with three strikeouts.

The Space Cowboys immediately responded in the fourth, with Joey Loperfido leading off with a walk followed by back-to-back singles from Pedro León and Grae Kessinger that juiced the bases up. David Hensley shot a sharp groundball up the middle to bring two home and catapult Sugar Land to the lead. After Jacob Amaya grinded a walk to reload the bases, LHP Jackson Wolf (L, 2-8) issued a four-pitch free base to Dixon Machado, tacking on another run for Sugar Land. Jesús Bastidas made it 4-1 by grounding into a force out at second base, allowing Hensley from third to score. Machado tacked on another run in the eighth with an RBI single that deflected off the glove of Graham Pauley diving into left and rolled into the outfield, scoring Kessinger from second.

Sugar Land's bullpen was nails, with RHP Conner Greene pitching two perfect innings while striking out two. RHP Dylan Coleman took over in the eighth and allowed a walk as his only baserunner, stranding him by inducing a groundout. In the ninth, closer RHP Wander Suero was summoned to procure the final three outs, and retired the side in order, getting a flyout to Loperfido in center to seal the game.

Leading the series 2-0, the Space Cowboys continue their six-game set with El Paso on Thursday. RHP Blair Henley is scheduled to start for Sugar Land 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, MLB.TV or Bally Live.

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