Season-Opening Stunner: Space Cowboys Score Four in Ninth to Walk Off OKC
PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Season-Opening Stunner: Space Cowboys Score Four in Ninth to Walk Off OKC

Published on March 28, 2025 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


SUGAR LAND, TX - After being held to just two hits in their first eight innings, the defending Triple-A National Champion Sugar Land Space Cowboys (1-0) scored four in the ninth to improbably top the Oklahoma City Comets (0-1) 4-3 in walk-off fashion on Opening Night at Constellation Field. Highlights of tonight's game can be found here.

Trailing 3-0 going to the ninth inning, LHP Brody Rodning (W, 1-0) made his Triple-A debut by firing a 1-2-3 inning for Sugar Land, striking out one. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Quincy Hamilton worked a walk and moved to second on a failed pickoff by LHP Joe Jacques (BS,1). Following a strikeout, César Salazar lined a single off the front slope of the mound that ricocheted away from Jacques, scoring Hamilton from second. Zack Short fell behind 1-2 but cranked a game-tying two-run homer to left, knotting the game at 3-3. RHP Logan Boyer (L, 0-1) came on for OKC and surrendered a double to Collin Price and a walk to Kenedy Corona, turning the lineup over to Brice Matthews. The Astros' #2 prospect laced a 1-1 pitch to the gap in left, easily scoring Price to claim the walk-off victory for Sugar Land.

Even though he didn't factor into the decision, LHP Colton Gordon was sharp in his season debut, striking out five and giving up only three hits in 5.0 innings of work. His only mistake was a solo home run to Dalton Rushing to begin the fourth, but Gordon closed his night by retiring the final six batters he faced. All told, the southpaw threw 63 pitches, 42 for strikes.

NOTABLE:

Zack Short's game-tying home run was his first home run since September 16, 2023, in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers.

Brice Matthews has now delivered walk-off victories in the Space Cowboys last two regular-season home games. In the regular season finale for Sugar Land on September 15, 2024, Matthews was hit-by-a-pitch in the ninth to force in the winning run.

LHP Brody Rodning collects the win in his Triple-A debut, which came in his 117th career appearance. The lefty was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2017 Draft.

Sugar Land improves to 3-2 all-time on Opening Day... The Space Cowboys are now also 3-2 all-time in home openers.

LHP Bennett Sousa fired a 1-2-3 sixth inning, striking out one in his first appearance in an official game since October 1, 2023 @ Arizona with the Astros.

The Space Cowboys continue Opening Weekend presented by Constellation on Saturday with a 6:05 pm first pitch. RHP Aaron Brown is scheduled to start for Sugar Land opposite RHP Carlos Duran. Season Memberships for the 2025 Space Cowboy season, including Full and Partial Season membership plans, can be purchased online here.

ABOUT THE SUGAR LAND SPACE COWBOYS:

The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros and compete in the Pacific Coast League. They are the reigning Pacific Coast League Champions and Triple-A National Champions. They began play as the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in 2021 and began playing under the Space Cowboys brand in 2022. The Space Cowboys play at Constellation Field, located at the corner of Hwy-6 and US-90 Alternate in Sugar Land, Texas. Follow the team on Twitter (@SLSpaceCowboys), Instagram (@slspacecowboys), Facebook (SLSpaceCowboys) and their official website (slspacecowboys.com). Fans can purchase full-season and partial-season plans for 2025 by visiting slspacecowboys.com/tickets.

Check out the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from March 28, 2025


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