Role Reversal: Isotopes Rout Space Cowboys

A night after the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (9-19) registered a blowout of the Albuquerque Isotopes (13-16), the Isotopes plated over 20 runs on Wednesday night in a 22-4 game at Isotopes Park.

For a second straight day, Sugar Land scored in the opening stanza. Bligh Madris tripled in the very first at bat of the game and scored on a sacrifice fly from Michael Brantley, making it 1-0 Space Cowboys. RHP Shawn Dubin (L, 0-1) issued a walk to begin his night in the bottom of the first but got a ground ball double play to erase the base runner. Another walk put a man on for Elehruis Montero, who hit a two-run homer to left to push the Isotopes ahead 2-1.

Albuquerque would add on three more in the bottom of the second, moving in front 5-1. The Space Cowboys were able to rally for a run in the top of the third when Luke Berryhill singled off RHP Phillips Valdez (W, 1-1) to start the inning and moved to third on a double by Bligh Madris. Brantley then worked a walk to load the bases and Berryhill raced in to score on a wild pitch. Valdez struck out a pair of batters, though, to leave two men in scoring position for Sugar Land.

The Isotopes opened up a comfortable advantage with six in the third and four more in the fourth. In both the seventh and eighth, the Space Cowboys got a double and a walk but couldn’t plate another run, while Albuquerque scored two in the seventh and five in the bottom of the eighth off OF Michael Sandle, who came in to cover the final inning for Sugar Land. An Alex McKenna home run, his first of the year with the Space Cowboys, doubled the Sugar Land run output before the close of the contest.

With the series even at a game apiece, Sugar Land continues their six-game tilt with the Isotopes on Thursday afternoon. RHP JP France (2-1, 2.33) is scheduled to start for the Space Cowboys against Albuquerque RHP Karl Kauffmann (2-2, 8.26) for a 12:05 pm CT first pitch. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here.

*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.