Offense Strikes For Six But Space Cowboys Drop Finale
Despite taking the lead early on and reclaiming it in the fifth inning, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (29-16) dropped their series finale against the Albuquerque Isotopes (14-31) 8-6 at Isotopes Park on Sunday afternoon. For the second time this series, Jesús Bastidas led off the game with a home
Despite taking the lead early on and reclaiming it in the fifth inning, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (29-16) dropped their series finale against the Albuquerque Isotopes (14-31) 8-6 at Isotopes Park on Sunday afternoon.
For the second time this series, Jesús Bastidas led off the game with a home run, his 11th of the season on the fourth pitch he saw. Bastidas went 5-for-5 with a walk as the leadoff man in all six games this week and raised his average to .409 when hitting in the leadoff spot, excelling in the position while garnering 18 hits in 44 at-bats with a total of five home runs and 13 RBIs.
ANOTHER LEAD-OFF DINGER FOR BASTIDAS!
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 19, 2024
There's no stopping him. pic.twitter.com/7wPhssgPqI
The Isotopes took the lead on an RBI single from Sam Hilliard and a fielding error with two-outs to keep the inning going, but RHP Blair Henley (L, 1-3) struck out Willie MacIver to keep the damage limited to two runs. The Space Cowboys quickly retook the lead on a 411-foot two-run mash from Quincy Hamilton in the top of the second. A pair of solo home runs in the third inning for Albuquerque gave the Isotopes the advantage at 4-3.
QUINCY HAMILTON! A monster shot to take our lead right back 💪
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 19, 2024
📏 411 FT pic.twitter.com/4BR0CKdSMN
Back-to-back doubles from Jacob Amaya and Bastidas knotted up the score once again, and with runners on the corners from a Shay Whitcomb base-hit, Pedro León hit a sacrifice fly to score Bastidas from third to put the Space Cowboys on top at 5-4. The lead did not remain for long, as in the bottom of the frame, a throwing error from Luke Berryhill while Coco Montes was attempting to steal third allowed Montes to come home and tie the contest at five. Later in the inning, Aaron Schunk put Albuquerque ahead with a two-run home run to make it 7-5 Isotopes and end Henley’s day. RHP Conner Greene came in and got MacIver to fly out for the last out of the inning to send the game to the sixth.
Berryhill drew a walk with two outs in the top of the sixth that was originally called a strike but was reversed via the challenge system to give him a free base. Hamilton, the next batter, lasered a line drive down the right-field line that scored Berryhill without a throw to bring Sugar Land within one.
In the bottom of the eighth, RHP Luis Contreras gave up his first run of the season on a long ball from Grant Lavigne that gifted Albuquerque their two-run lead back. RHP Matt Carasiti (S, 5) came in for the top of the ninth and sat the Space Cowboys down in order to finish off the game.
The Space Cowboys return to Constellation Field to begin their third series against the Round Rock Express on Tuesday night. Sugar Land’s starter is TBA while Round Rock’s RHP Adrian Sampson (5-1, 4.01) is set to take the mound for a 6:35 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.