PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Shutdown and Show Out: Space Cowboys Blast Chihuahuas 18-1

Published on August 9, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


EL PASO, TX - An impressive debut on the mound and plenty of hits scattered across the lineup propelled the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (46-63, 13-21) to an 18-1 victory in their series opener against the El Paso Chihuahuas (47-62, 15-19) on Tuesday night at Southwest University Park. Highlights of tonight's game can be found here.

Corey Julks reached on throwing error with one out in the first and stole second, getting into scoring position for JJ Matijevic, who ripped a double to the left-field gap, putting the Space Cowboys up 1-0.

LHP Colton Gordon (W, 1-0) was spotted the lead before he took the hill and hurled a 1-2-3 bottom of the first. The southpaw struck out his first batter to begin the bottom of the second inning and issued a walk to Oscar Mercado with one out. A balk and a stolen base on a strikeout put the tying run at third, however Gordon left the runner at third on a flyout by Matthew Batten.

The Space Cowboys gave their starter more run support in the top of the third. Matijevic singled, Pedro León walked and Shay Whitcomb dropped a single into right, loading the bases for David Hensley, who hit a single to right, driving in two. Following a fielder's choice, Marty Costes laced a single inside of the right-field line to plate another run, and César Salazar scored another run on a groundout, widening the Space Cowboys lead to 5-0.

Gordon surrendered a walk and a double with one out in the fourth but knuckled down and struck out Mercado and induced a groundout, keeping the Chihuahuas off the board. In his final inning of work in the fifth, a single and a double that ricocheted off of second base gave the Chihuahuas a scoring chance against Gordon, but Julks threw out the runner at home to maintain the shutout. A flyout to right closed out the night for Gordon, who struck out three and gave up just three hits over 5.0 shutout innings in his Triple-A debut.

In the top of the fourth, Julks walked and Matijevic came up with his second double of the evening, scoring Julks from first. Two batters later, Whitcomb clocked a two-run home run to left, his 15th longball with Sugar Land and 27th overall of the year, tied for the second most home runs in Minor League Baseball this season, pushing the Space Cowboys to an 8-0 lead.

Sugar Land put the game further out of reach with a six-run seventh inning, scoring all six runs with two outs. Salazar was hit by a pitch, Rylan Bannon walked and Julks reached on another error, loading the bases for Matijevic, who walked to force in a run. León drilled a double to the left-field corner, driving in a pair, and two more runners scored on a failed catch. Hensley finished the rally with a triple.

In the ninth, Julks walked and Matijevic launched a wall-banging double, his fourth of the night, setting up León, who lifted a three-run homer of the left-field wall to put Sugar Land up 17-1. The four doubles in the game for Matijevic are the most doubles in a single game in Space Cowboys history.

The Space Cowboys continue their six-game series with the Chihuahuas on Wednesday night. RHP Ronel Blanco is scheduled to start against RHP Matt Waldon for a 7:35 pm CT first pitch at Southwest University Park. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 9, 2023


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