Sugar Land's Offense Erupts as Space Cowboys Split Series with Sunday Victory
PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Sugar Land's Offense Erupts as Space Cowboys Split Series with Sunday Victory

Published on August 24, 2025 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


DES MOINES, IA - Eight runs on 10 hits powered the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (21-27, 60-63) to an 8-4 series-finale win over the Iowa Cubs (22-29, 61-64) on Sunday afternoon at Principal Park. The Space Cowboys split their series against Iowa with a win on Sunday, their second-ever Interleague series.

Pedro León led off the top of the first with a single on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, stole second and moved up 90 feet to third after a throwing error from Moisés Ballesteros. With one out in the frame, Edwin Díaz drove in León with an opposite-field RBI single. After Jon Singleton launched a wall-scrapping double, Miguel Palma plated both runners with a two-RBI double as the Space Cowboys pushed out in front, 3-0.

Sugar Land extended its lead in the top of the second. Kenedy Corona took a lead-off walk, stole second and came around to score on a two-out RBI double from César Salazar to stretch the Space Cowboys' margin to 4-0.

RHP Ethan Pecko fired a perfect bottom of the first and posted a scoreless second by stranding two on with one out, helped by an inning-ending double play.

Iowa scored its first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the home half of the third, but Sugar Land answered in the top of the fourth. Colin Barber kept the inning alive with a two-out single before León thumped a two-run homer to right as the Space Cowboys went up, 6-1. The Cubs threatened in the bottom of the fourth by loading the bases with two outs, but Pecko stranded the runners with an inning-ending punchout.

Rhett Kouba (W, 3-3) relieved Pecko in the fifth and spun a shutout frame. Pecko went 4.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Reylin Perez punched a single through the right side to lead off the top of the sixth and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Kenedy Corona. In the ensuing at-bat, Barber belted an opposite-field RBI double to left-center, scoring Perez. Later in the inning, León lashed his third hit of the day, an RBI double, that brought home Barber as Sugar Land added to their advantage, 8-1.

Iowa cut into the Space Cowboys' lead with a two-run homer from Ballesteros in the seventh and scored another run in the eighth to make it an 8-4 game. However, RHP Luis Contreras closed out Sugar Land's win with a scoreless ninth as the Space Cowboys took their series finale, 8-4.

NOTABLE:

- César Salazar extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a 1-for-5 game with a double and an RBI. Over his on-base streak, Salazar has four doubles, three homers, 11 RBI, 15 walks and 12 runs scored.

- Ethan Pecko tied his Triple-A career high on Sunday with 4.0 innings, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts. In two starts against Iowa this week, Pecko combined for 8.0 innings of one-run ball.

- Pedro León finished a triple shy of the cycle on Sunday with a 3-for-5 afternoon with a double, a homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Sunday was León's first three-hit game since September 22, 2024 against the Sacramento River Cats and his first three-RBI game since August 25, 2024 against the Albuquerque Isotopes when he recorded four RBI.

- Rhett Kouba registered a scoreless fifth, and in the month of August, holds a 2-0 record with a 3.48 ERA across six games while recording a .171 opposing batting average.

- Miguel Palma recorded his first multi-RBI game at the Triple-A level on Sunday with a 1-for-3 game with a double, two RBI and a walk.

- Luis Contreras extended his consecutive scoreless-innings streak to 7.1 innings across seven appearances with a scoreless bottom of the ninth.

After Sugar Land's six-game series against the Iowa Cubs, the Space Cowboys return home for a six-game set against the Albuquerque Isotopes. First pitch is set for Tuesday at 7:05 pm CT. The game can be seen live on the Bally Sports Live App or MLB.TV and can be heard anywhere at SLSpaceCowboys.com.

Check out the Sugar Land Space Cowboys Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 24, 2025


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