Blubaugh Earns Tenth Win As Space Cowboys Score Ten

In their second-straight game scoring ten-plus runs, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (78-47, 29-22) dominated the Salt Lake Bees (60-66, 28-24) with a 10-2 win on Tuesday night at Constellation Field.

The Bees started the contest off with a solo home run from Jordyn Adams in the first to put Salt Lake up 1-0. In the top of the second, Salt Lake loaded up the bases with one out for Jake Marisnick, but RHP AJ Blubaugh (W, 10-3) got the Bees outfielder to ground into a double play to end the inning.

In the second, the Space Cowboys juiced up the bases on two walks and a fielding error off opener RHP Luis Ledo (L, 1-2) for César Salazar, who lined a splitter sharply past the diving Chad Stevens at second base to score two for Sugar Land, putting them ahead at 2-1. The next inning, after Pedro León smacked a double down the right-field line, Quincy Hamilton skied a two-run homer over the fence in right field to tack on two more. Later in the frame, with runners on first and second, Tommy Sacco Jr. got his first Triple-A knock on a single to score Jesús Bastidas from second, giving Sugar Land the 5-1 lead.

César coming through!#SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/2bcCFAPHP5

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 28, 2024

QHAM GOES HAM#SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/26fEofdt7K

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 28, 2024

First Triple-A knock for Tommy Sacco Jr. brings in a run 👏#SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/hCI1GVS7AT

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 28, 2024

The Space Cowboys pounced for another three-run frame in the fifth when Cooper Hummel and Jacob Melton singled for Salazar to come up to the plate with two outs. On a 1-2 count, Salazar blooped a base hit to right field, scoring Hummel and sending Melton to third. The next pitch, Grae Kessinger sent a slider into the left-center gap to score Melton and Salazar, extending Sugar Land’s lead to 8-1.

Kess to the gap for 2⃣ more #SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/7SnLWLrgIo

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 28, 2024

Blubaugh’s night ended after the fifth with the righty giving up just one run on a homer with two walks and seven strikeouts, earning his tenth win. RHP Logan VanWey pitched a scoreless sixth, and RHP Shawn Dubin took the seventh, giving up a run on a sacrifice fly from Marisnick to cut Sugar Land’s advantage down to 8-2. However, with two runners in scoring position, Hamilton sharply grounded a ball to a drawn in Stevens at second that ricocheted off him and allowed both men to score and give Sugar Land double-digit runs for the second game in a row, with the Space Cowboys scoring a combined 23 runs between Sunday and Tuesday.

RHP Seth Martinez faced the minimum in ten pitches thrown in the eighth while RHP Misael Tamarez entered for the ninth. Despite walking two with two outs, Tamarez secured the final out on a groundout of Charles Leblanc, sending the Space Cowboys to their seventh-straight win against the Salt Lake Bees.

The Space Cowboys look to continue their dominance against the Salt Lake Bees on Wednesday night. RHP Ryan Gusto (6-5, 4.16) is scheduled to start for Sugar Land while Salt Lake’s starter is LHP Reid Detmers (6-6, 5.88). The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV or Bally Live.

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 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, as well as single-game tickets, by visiting slspacecowboys.com/tickets.