Late Runs Fuel Sugar Land's 6-2 Win Over Reno

Though the game went scoreless through five innings, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (87-50, 38-24) prevailed as they took down the Reno Aces (71-67, 36-27) 6-2 in the series opener on Tuesday night at Constellation Field.

All was quiet through the first five innings as LHP Colton Gordon kept the Aces to just two hits, hurling 3.2 perfect innings before allowing a double to the gap. The Space Cowboys had a chance to get on the board first in the bottom of the fifth after loading the bases with one out on single from César Salazar, a hit-by-pitch to Jesús Bastidas and an error on Bryson Brigman that allowed Kenedy Corona to reach first. However, LHP Blake Walston got a 5-3 double play to end the inning and silence the Space Cowboys threat.

In the top of the sixth with one out, Gordon gave up his only run of the night on a solo home run from Tim Tiwa, giving Reno the 1-0 lead. However, in the bottom of the frame, Pedro León led off with a single and stole second in the next at-bat. After Walston got a strikeout, Trey Cabbage lined out to deep right field, giving León enough time to tag up and take third. RHP Christian Montes De Oca (BS, 3) took over with two outs, and Cooper Hummel grounded the seventh pitch of the at-bat into the left-side hole for an infield single, tying the game at 1-1.

TIE BALLGAME! #SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/9EW5oV7Bff

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) September 11, 2024

RHP Forrest Whitley (W, 3-1) took over the seventh and worked around a one-out walk with two strikeouts to end the frame. In the bottom of the seventh, with the bases juiced once again versus LHP Kyle Backhus (L, 2-2), León dodged a double play on fielder’s choice that allowed the run to score, breaking the tie for Sugar Land. A six-pitch walked issued to Trey Cabbage forced another run in, and Hummel singled on a groundball down the right-field line, scoring two to extend the Space Cowboys’ lead to 5-1.

COOP EXTENDS OUR LEAD! #SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/9hO4qpy1LR

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) September 11, 2024

Taking over in the eighth was LHP Bryan King, who got four outs in the inning due to Tiwa reaching on a passed ball after the Reno batter struck out. In the bottom of the inning, Salazar got an insurance run for Sugar Land on a 376-foot solo home run into the bullpen in right field.

Sally with the MOONSHOT #SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/QrGyUURk0l

— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) September 11, 2024

With RHP Rafael Montero on the mound in the top of the ninth, Kyle Garlick tagged Montero for his first run allowed in Triple-A on a solo home run to left, but the reliever recovered to get the next three on two strikeouts and a flyout, securing Sugar Land’s win in the series opener at 6-2.

The Space Cowboys look to go up 2-0 in the series against the Reno Aces on Wednesday night. Sugar Land’s RHP Aaron Brown (0-2, 3.86) will take the mound against LHP Logan Allen (5-3, 5.25) for a 7:05 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.