Chihuahuas Bullpen Pitches Well in Saturday Loss

Sugar Land 5 El Paso 2 – Saturday
WP: Blanco (7-4)
LP: Leasher (2-3)
S: Record (1)
Time: 2:28
Attn: 5,715

The El Paso Chihuahuas were held to just two runs and four hits in a contest dominated by Sugar Land starting pitcher Ronel Blanco, giving the Space Cowboys a 5-2 win at Constellation Field Saturday night. The loss is El Paso’s seventh in a row, the longest losing streak in team history.

Blanco threw six shutout innings, allowing just four total baserunners. The Chihuahuas earned both their runs in the top of the eighth inning. The first run scored on a sac fly from Daniel Johnson with the bases loaded, and two batters later, Tirso Ornelas, also with the bases loaded, grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Evan Mendoza. The two runs trimmed the deficit to 3-2 at the time, but the Space Cowboys pushed across their final two runs in the eighth inning to put the game away.

Connor Hollis played in his first game for the Chihuahuas this season, reaching base three times in a 1-for-2 night that included a double, two walks and one stolen base. Ornelas’ first inning double was the only other El Paso extra base hit. Carlos Luis continues to hit well, he now has a hit in each of the first five games in the series, all five are the first of his career at the Triple-A level. Chihuahuas starting pitcher Aaron Leasher walked a career-high six in three innings. Eric Hanhold and Jake Sanchez combined for four shutout innings out of the bullpen after Leasher’s 3.0 innings pitched.

The Chihuahuas added one stolen base to their season total, now reaching 210 – the most in the Pacific Coast League this season.

Tomorrow is the final Chihuahuas game of the 2023 season.

Box Score: Gameday: Space Cowboys 5, Chihuahuas 2 Final Score (09/23/2023) (milb.com)

Team Records: Sugar Land (28-46, 61-88), El Paso (29-45, 61-88)

Next Game: Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Mountain Time at Constellation Field. El Paso RHP Anderson Espinoza (7-9, 6.32 ERA) vs. Sugar Land RHP Jimmy Endersby (4-5, 5.51 ERA). The game will air on 600 ESPN El Paso and www.epchihuahuas.com.