Offense Mashes 13 Extra-Base Hits As Space Cowboys Hang On For Friday Night Win
In a 21-hit outburst, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (28-15) took a big lead heading to the seventh and held on for a 14-12 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes (13-30) on Friday night at Isotopes Park. Albuquerque took their only lead of the night in the first inning when Kris
In a 21-hit outburst, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (28-15) took a big lead heading to the seventh and held on for a 14-12 victory over the Albuquerque Isotopes (13-30) on Friday night at Isotopes Park.
Albuquerque took their only lead of the night in the first inning when Kris Bryant singled and Nolan Jones singled to right behind him but was thrown out attempting to stretch it into a double. Coco Montes tripled in a run to put the Isotopes up 1-0, but LHP Colton Gordon (W, 2-0) responded by striking out Sam Hilliard and inducing a groundout from Michael Toglia to strand a runner at third. It kicked off a string of eight straight retired by Gordon, who also sat down 11 of the next 12 hitters he faced.
Sugar Land’s offense went to work in the top of the second. Shay Whitcomb singled with one out and David Hensley followed with a knock to right, moving Whitcomb to third on a hit-and-run. A Quincy Hamilton double tied the game and Jacob Amaya plated a pair with a two-bagger of his own to put Sugar Land up 3-1. Jesús Bastidas ripped a double to drive in another run, his second hit in as many innings and the sixth straight hit by Sugar Land, pushing the Space Cowboys ahead 4-1.
And just like that, we've got the lead! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4aYzg13gU4
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 18, 2024
Whitcomb led off the third inning with a monstrous home run to left, estimated at 461 feet for his eighth homer of the year, and after Amaya doubled with two outs, Bastidas lashed an opposite-field homer to right, giving him a single, double and homer in his first three plate appearances. The Space Cowboys would tack on two more in the fourth thanks to an RBI triple by Whitcomb, putting him a double shy of the cycle, and an RBI double from Hensley, widening the Sugar Land advantage to 9-1 after four innings.
OVER. THE. SCOREBOARD! 😱
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 18, 2024
Shay Whitcomb with a 461 foot 💣! pic.twitter.com/UYAi9Xengc
It's the third inning.... and Jesús Bastidas is a triple shy of the cycle 🤯
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 18, 2024
His ninth homer makes it 7-1 Space Cowboys! #SetTheCourse pic.twitter.com/lKDzmr9TkA
Gordon ran into his only other trouble of the night in the fifth. A pair of Isotopes singled to start the inning but Gordon got flyouts from Daniel Cope and Bryant to move within an out of stranding both runners. An error extended the inning while letting a run score, and Montes uncorked a three-run homer to left that cut the Sugar Land lead to 9-5. Gordon struck out Hilliard to finish the fifth and punched out Toglia in the sixth before leaving with two outs in the frame. All told, Gordon spun 5.2 innings, giving up just one earned run on seven hits while not walking a batter and striking out six.
The Space Cowboys created separation in the sixth and seventh. A one-out walk and error put two men on for Whitcomb, who singled to drive in his third run of the game on his fourth hit, and a fielder’s choice from Hensley made it 11-5. Amaya doubled to begin the seventh, and Bastidas, needing a triple to complete the cycle, slashed a line drive deep to right field that carried over the wall for his second home run of the night, putting the Space Cowboys up 13-5. A César Salazar RBI single finished the scoring for Sugar Land in the seventh. In total, the Space Cowboys collected 21 hits and 13 extra-base hits, including eight doubles, two triples and three home runs. Whitcomb moved his on-base streak to 30 games with his four-hit night, tying Hensley for the longest on-base streak in franchise history.
Bastidas needed a triple, but he'll settle for his second homer of the night 😅 pic.twitter.com/wEQqvdf3kZ
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 18, 2024
Albuquerque got a singular run in the seventh on a solo home run but rallied for six in the bottom of the eighth, sending nine men to the plate and drawing within two on a three-run homer by Hunter Stovall. RHP Wander Suero (S, 7) was called upon for a second straight night to cover the ninth and retired the side in order to secure the save and a 14-12 Sugar Land victory.
With a chance to claim a series win, the Space Cowboys continue their six-game series against the Isotopes on Saturday night. RHP Ryan Gusto (0-1, 8.36) is scheduled to toe the slab for Sugar Land opposite Isotopes RHP Tyler Danish (1-2, 9.18) 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.