Melton Mashes Two Bombs, But Sugar Land Falls In Series Finale
Despite tying the game up at two in the top of the eighth, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (74-45, 25-19) could not hold off the Tacoma Rainiers (70-50, 27-18) as the Space Cowboys fell in the series finale 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium. To start the final game
Despite tying the game up at two in the top of the eighth, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (74-45, 25-19) could not hold off the Tacoma Rainiers (70-50, 27-18) as the Space Cowboys fell in the series finale 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium.
To start the final game of the series, Tacoma loaded the bases up against LHP Colton Gordon on a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch. Jason Vosler drove in two on a base hit, putting the Rainiers up 2-0 after the first. Gordon got a double play to end the inning and Tacoma’s threat.
The Sugar Land offense remained scoreless until the top of the seventh, when Jacob Melton cranked a sweeper from RHP Cody Bolton 397 feet over the fence in right-center, his second home run as a Space Cowboy, to cut Tacoma’s lead in half at 2-1.
Did somebody order a Patty Melt-on?#SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/cb88g5Rihq
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 18, 2024
After Vosler’s two-run single in the first, Gordon was immaculate. The lefty retired 17 of the next 20 batters he faced after the first inning, two reaching on walks and one on a fielding error. Going a career-high 6.2 innings pitched with seven strikeouts, Gordon was taken out with one on and two outs in the seventh. RHP Forrest Whitley (L, 2-1) came in for the final out and got Seby Zavala to pop out to end the frame.
Grae Kessinger started the top of the eighth with a single and a stolen base off RHP Carlos Vargas (W, 2-4), and Jesús Bastidas knocked in Kessinger with a base hit to right-center, tying the game up at two apiece.
BASTY. Tie game! 👏#SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/uB7IVe0ZC8
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 18, 2024
Whitley returned for the bottom of the frame and put runners on first and second with two outs. RHP Luis Contreras took over to help escape the jam, but a double by Vosler scored both runs and put Tacoma on top once again at 4-2. Melton mashed a second home run in the top of the ninth for his first multi-homer game in Triple-A to bring the Space Cowboys within one, but RHP Joey Krehbiel (S, 9)got the final outs to end the contest, sending Sugar Land home with a loss in the series finale.
The Space Cowboys return home to take on the Albuquerque Isotopes looking to snap a five-game losing streak on Tuesday night. Both starters are TBA 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.