PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Series Preview - Space Cowboys Take on Express in Second Homestand of Season

April 16, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


SUGAR LAND, TX - Following a six-game set in Albuquerque where they took five out of six games, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys return to Constellation Field to take on the Round Rock Express, their second series of the season.

Record:

Sugar Land: 10-5, tied for the lead in the Pacific Coast League East

Round Rock: 7-8, three games back of Sugar Land in the Pacific Coast League East

Projected Pitching Matchups:

Tuesday - RHP Florencio Serrano vs. RHP Misael Tamarez (1-0, 5.93)

Wednesday - RHP Owen White vs. RHP AJ Blubaugh (1-0, 0.00)

Thursday - TBA vs. RHP Rhett Kouba (1-1, 2.45)

Friday - RHP Adrian Sampson (1-1, 7.90) vs. RHP Ryan Gusto (1-0, 0.00)

Saturday - TBA vs. RHP Blair Henley (1-1, 2.45)

Sunday - TBA vs. RHP Misael Tamarez

Prospecting (Organizational ranking per MLB Pipeline):

Sugar Land - RHP Spencer Arrighetti (#3), OF/INF Joey Loperfido (#6), RHP AJ Blubaugh (#8), RHP Rhett Kouba (#14), INF Will Wagner (#15), INF Jacob Amaya (#23) and OF Pedro León (#27)

Round Rock - RHP Owen White (#10), OF/INF Dustin Harris (#11), RHP Marc Church (#23)

From the Audio Archives:

INF/OF Joey Loperfido talks about his three-homer game, what is working at the plate, getting to work at Minute Maid Park this offseason and who he models his swing after.

LHP Bryan King on pitching well early in the season, being the only lefty in the bullpen, getting acquired by the Astros while he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, and his passion for conservation, including his studies in college.

RHP Shawn Dubin on getting back onto the mound, his transition to the bullpen and what his offseason included.

Development Coach Wladimir Sutil on what the day-to-day routine, getting to be a part of the Major League staff in Spring Training and the Space Cowboys defensively in 2024.

Pitching Coach Thomas Whitsett on Blair Henley's call up, the blend of veteran and young relievers and the starting rotation.

Who's Hot for Sugar Land:

INF/OF Joey Loperfido: While there has been a lot of buzz about Loperfido, it has been justified. Coming off a week where he slashed .423/.559/1.077/1.636 with two doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI, 14 runs scored, six walks, a stolen base, Loperfido was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week.

Entering Tuesday, Loperfido leads Minor League Baseball in home runs (10), total bases (51), extra-base hits (12) and runs scored (21) and is second in RBI (24), fourth in slugging (.895) and tied for seventh in hits (19). He is also on an eight-game hitting streak in which he's hit .424 (14-for-33) with 2 doubles, 6 home runs, 14 RBI and 17 runs scored, walking eight times to 13 strikeouts.

INF/OF Trey Cabbage: Were it not for Loperfido, Cabbage would have been in the running for the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honor as well. He's hit safely in his last seven games, going 13-for-29 (.448) with four doubles, a triple, three home runs, eight RBI, 11 runs scored, eight walks and just seven strikeouts while also stealing two bases. He's recorded an extra-base hit in five consecutive games and has driven in a run in three straight for Sugar Land.

INF Jesús Bastidas: Bastidas has been a contributor at the top and bottom of the lineup for Sugar Land, hitting safely in seven straight games, batting .407 (11-for-27) with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, seven runs scored and five walks. For the season, Bastidas is slashing .341/.444/.705/1.149 in 12 games with four doubles, four home runs, 13 RBI, 10 runs scored and a stolen base. He's second in the Pacific Coast League in OPS behind Loperfido and is tied for fifth in home runs and sixth in OBP.

Who's Hot For Round Rock:

C Sam Huff: A known commodity in the Rangers' system, Huff mashed in five games at Dell Diamond last week, going 7-for-17 (.412) with a double, two home runs, eight RBI, three runs scored and a pair of walks. He led Round Rock in total bases during the week with 14 and also led the team in RBI.

Check out the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 16, 2024


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