
Gordon Tosses Quality Start in Sugar Land's 6-2 Victory
June 23, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release
EL PASO, TX - Thanks to a couple of solo blasts and great defensive gems, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (49-26) closed out the first half and secured their ninth series win against the El Paso Chihuahuas (31-44) by taking Sunday night's contest 6-2 at Southwest University Park.
For the second time in as many days, Shay Whitcomb started the first inning with a home run off LHP Ryan Carpenter (L, 2-5) to give the Space Cowboys a quick 1-0 lead. His 17th of the season, Whitcomb is now third in the Pacific Coast League in long balls. The next frame, Sugar Land worked the bases loaded with no outs on three-straight singles from Jacob Amaya, David Hensley, and Dixon Machado. Ryan Wrobleski then traded in two outs for a run on a twin killing to make it 2-0.
LHP Colton Gordon (W, 4-0) retired the first six Chihuahuas he faced before putting two on with no outs in the third. The southpaw proceeded to get a strikeout and two groundouts to escape the jam. In the fourth, El Paso knotted it up on an RBI triple from Óscar Mercado and a single from Graham Pauley to drive him in.
Dixon Machado broke the tie with one swing of the bat in the fifth on a solo shot to left-center field. Later in the inning, Will Wagner tacked on another run with an RBI single to drive in Wrobleski from second base, giving the Space Cowboys a 4-2 advantage.
Recovering after the fourth, Gordon pitched two more scoreless innings, including inducing a fly ball to no-man's land and Pedro León making a terrific diving grab to prevent another baserunner. Gordon, who earned his fourth-straight win, pitched his first quality start of the season, the only two runs he allowed coming in the fourth. RHP Forrest Whitley (H, 1), fresh from the injured list, relieved the lefty starter and gave up a lead-off walk before getting Chandler Seagle to ground a cutter down the third-base line. Machado made the tough play in foul territory and threw a dime to get the out at first.
Amaya and Hensley hit back-to-back singles to put two on for Wrobleski, who knocked a base hit the other way, bringing two more home in the eighth. The Space Cowboys threatened for more by loading the bases up in the ninth, but RHP Tommy Nance got a 4-6-3 double play to avoid a bigger hole for El Paso. RHP Wander Suero put a pair on base to start the ninth, but the Space Cowboys turned two on a groundball from Kevin Plawecki. Suero then got a flyout to strand the runner at third and end the game, sending the Space Cowboys to a 6-2 win.
The Space Cowboys return home to Constellation Field for a six-game set against the Tacoma Rainiers. Both starters are TBA for a 7:05 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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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 23, 2024
- Gordon Tosses Quality Start in Sugar Land's 6-2 Victory - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Chihuahuas End First Half with Setback to Sugar Land - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Sacramento Takes Series Finale from Round Rock, 5-4 - Round Rock Express
- Aviators Use Long Ball to Take Finale - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Doubles up Albuquerque - Oklahoma City Comets
- Salt Lake Bats Erupt for Series Clinching Win Versus Reno - Salt Lake Bees
- Isotopes Wrap First Half with 8-4 Loss to Oklahoma City - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Aces Taken Down by Bees 13-6 in Series Finale - Reno Aces
- June 23 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers vs. Las Vegas Aviators - Tacoma Rainiers
- OKC Baseball Club Game Notes - June 23, 2024 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Chihuahuas Rally To Defeat Space Cowboys, 9-7 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Whitcomb Drives in Four But Sugar Land Falls 9-7 to El Paso - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Sampson Secures Series Win As Express Roll Over River Cats - Round Rock Express
- Bees Falter Late in Second Straight Loss to Aces - Salt Lake Bees
- Tacoma Comes Back to Take Series - Tacoma Rainiers
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