Seventh Heaven: Space Cowboys Use Big Frame to Rout River Cats
PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Seventh Heaven: Space Cowboys Use Big Frame to Rout River Cats

Published on May 24, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


SACRAMENTO, CA - In the final game of a two-week road trip, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (22-29) put together their largest victory of the season in a 12-3 win over the Sacramento River Cats (29-20) on Sunday afternoon at Sutter Health Park.

In the top of the fourth inning, Collin Price launched a two-run home run to give the Space Cowboys a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Kellen Strahm raked an RBI triple to extend the lead to 3-0. Rhylan Thomas then singled home another run, capping off a four-run inning for Sugar Land and making the score 4-0.

RHP Brandon McPherson made his second start for the Space Cowboys and faced the minimum in the first three frames, retiring nine in a row after the first batter of the game reached on an error. The River Cats found their first run of the day in the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run, cutting the deficit to 4-1. However, Sugar Land struck back for a run in the top of the inning thanks to an error, a walk and a two-out single from Shay Whitcomb.

McPherson returned for the bottom of the fifth inning but surrendered his second run of the day on three soft singles, and departed with two outs in the frame after a walk loaded the bases. RHP Logan VanWey (W, 2-3) came in stopped the rally, striking out Scott Bandura to leave the bases full and preserve a 5-3 edge.

Sugar Land broke the game open in the seventh. Riley Unroe singled to start the frame and advanced a pair of bases on a balk and a wild pitch. James Nelson doubled down the right-field line to start the rally and an error and a walk loaded the bases up with no outs. Whitcomb followed with a sacrifice fly to left, extending the Space Cowboys' lead to 7-3. Strahm then reached on a fielder's choice, bringing in another run. Jack Winkler and Unroe each added two-run singles to cap the inning, as the Space Cowboys took a 12-3 lead into the eighth.

Out of the bullpen, RHP Roddery Muñoz, RHP JP France and RHP Anthony Maldonado all turned in scoreless innings of relief, taking Sugar Land to their 12-3 win.

NOTABLE:

All nine starters for the Space Cowboys recorded a hit on Sunday afternoon, the second game this season every hitter in Sugar Land's starting nine recorded a hit (other - April 15 @ Salt Lake).

RHP Logan VanWey stranded three inherited runners in the fifth inning. With Sugar Land, VanWey has stranded 10 inherited runners while not letting an inherited runner to score. He is the only pitcher in the Pacific Coast League that has inherited at least 10 runners and has not allowed an inherited runner to score.

Sugar Land's seven-run seventh inning ties the most runs scored in a single inning this season for the Space Cowboys. They also scored seven runs in the first inning on April 17 @ Salt Lake.

The Space Cowboys nine-run victory was their largest margin of victory of the season, surpassing a seven-run victory on April 1 @ Jacksonville.

Though he did not qualify for a decision, RHP Brandon McPherson tied a season high with 4.2 innings pitched while throwing a season-high 82 pitches on Sunday afternoon.

1B CJ Alexander scorched a single in the fourth that left his bat at 112.5 mph per StatCast. It is the hardest-hit ball by a Space Cowboys' batter this season, surpassing Taylor Trammell's 110.6 mph single on April 7 vs. Tacoma. Alexander's single was also the hardest-hit ball in Triple A on Sunday per Baseball Savant.

Sugar Land returns to Constellation Field on Tuesday to host the Oklahoma City Comets. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for a 7:05 pm. The game can be seen on the Bally Sports Live app and MiLB.TV and can be heard online anywhere at SLSpaceCowboys.com/Listen.

Check out the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 24, 2026


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