Comeback Space Cowboys Strike Again Against Aces
After falling behind early, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (19-8) scored seven unanswered runs in the eighth and ninth innings to take down the Reno Aces (12-14) 10-5 at Greater Nevada Field Sunday afternoon. The Aces struck to begin the game in the first with a couple of RBI singles
After falling behind early, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (19-8) scored seven unanswered runs in the eighth and ninth innings to take down the Reno Aces (12-14) 10-5 at Greater Nevada Field Sunday afternoon.
The Aces struck to begin the game in the first with a couple of RBI singles off of RHP AJ Blubaugh, making it 2-0 by the end of the frame. Blubaugh would recover to have a one-two-three second inning.
In the top of the third, Joey Loperfido clobbered a fastball from RHP Cristian Mena over the centerfield fence, flying 428 feet. Loperfido’s 13th long ball of the season leads all of professional baseball and cut the Space Cowboys deficit down to one.
Pitchers have nightmares about this man.
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) April 28, 2024
Joey Loperfido’s 13th home run of the season leads all of professional baseball 👏
📏 428 FT pic.twitter.com/XlxF821Azm
Reno was able to tack on a couple more with an RBI double by Jancarlos Cintron and Tristin English in the third and fourth innings, but in the top of the sixth with one on, Jesús Bastidas smashed a home run to bring the Space Cowboys within one again. However, in the bottom half of the frame with LHP Parker Mushinski on the mound, Reno’s Bryson Brigman hit a solo shot to extend the Aces lead to 5-3.
Bastidas said my turn. 💪 pic.twitter.com/ipo6NcR5NK
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) April 28, 2024
Down two heading into the eighth, Bastidas got the Space Cowboys going with a double, paving the way for Shay Whitcomb to line a double off the left-field wall to score Bastidas and bring Sugar Land within one. After a Reno pitching change to bring in RHP Christian Montes De Oca (L, 0-2), Will Wagner and César Salazar hit back-to-back doubles to give the Space Cowboys their first lead of the game. Luke Berryhill singled on a liner to short to give Sugar Land an insurance run and bring their new lead up to 7-5.
And we are 🔙🔛🔝 pic.twitter.com/mS3Xw7pXAF
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) April 28, 2024
In the top of the ninth after Corey Julks led off with Sugar Land’s fifth double of the game, and an intentional walk to Loperfido and a Bastidas single loaded the bases. A fielding error on a ball hit by Wagner allowed a run to cross home and Salazar hit a sacrifice fly to score Bastidas, plating two more to make it 9-5. Cooper Hummel knocked a base hit to break the game open for the Space Cowboys and bring their advantage to 10-5, where they would finish it to win the series against the Aces five games to one.
Blubaugh pitched 4.0 innings of three-run ball, and RHP Conner Greene and Mushinski allowed one run each to provide the only Reno runs Sunday afternoon. RHP Joel Kuhnel (W, 4-1) and RHP Ray Gaither (H, 3) each held the Aces scoreless, and RHP Wander Suero shut the door down in the ninth inning to end Reno’s hopes of scoring.
The Space Cowboys head to El Paso to take on the Chihuahuas for the week starting Tuesday night. RHP JP France is set to take the mound for a 7:35 pm CT first pitch. 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.