Top Of The Order Powers Sugar Land To 9-5 Win

Costes Triples Twice While Matijevic, Singleton and Whitcomb Homer

By Garrett Greene/Space Cowboys

July 5, 2023

Big nights from their top four hitters propelled the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (35-48, 2-6) to a 9-5 victory over the Round Rock Express (48-34, 4-4) on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond. The Space Cowboys offense got out to a quick start in the top of the first. Marty Costes

Big nights from their top four hitters propelled the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (35-48, 2-6) to a 9-5 victory over the Round Rock Express (48-34, 4-4) on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond.

The Space Cowboys offense got out to a quick start in the top of the first. Marty Costes tripled to lead off the game against RHP Seth Nordlin (L, 0-1) and Jon Singleton brought Costes home with a sacrifice fly, giving Sugar Land a 1-0 advantage two batters into the ballgame. After a flyout, JJ Matijevic launched an opposite field homer, his 10^th of the year, pushing the Space Cowboys ahead 2-0.

Costes was in the middle of the Space Cowboys scoring again in the top of the third. Luke Berryhill singled and Costes followed with a triple to the left-field gap, the second two-triple game this year by a Space Cowboys batter, making it 3-0 Sugar Land. Singleton then dropped a single into left, widening the Space Cowboys advantage to 4-0.

RHP Spenser Watkins tossed three scoreless frames before allowing a run in the fourth on a single, a walk and a sacrifice fly but finished four frames, giving up just the singular run on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts.

The longball dominated the fifth inning for both teams. Singleton connected for a solo home run to right in the top of the inning, his third in nine games with Sugar Land, once again giving the Space Cowboys a four-run lead at 5-1. LHP Matt Gage took over in the fifth and allowed a pair of solo home runs, but RHP Joel Kuhnel (W, 1-0) came in and prevented the Express from scoring again, maintaining a 5-3 Space Cowboys lead.

In the top of the seventh, Costes was hit by a pitch with two outs and Singleton ripped a base hit to center, putting two men on for Shay Whitcomb, who launched his ninth homer of the year, catapulting the Space Cowboys to an 8-3 lead. Matijevic followed with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Pedro León, giving Sugar Land a 9-3 margin.

RHP Enoli Paredes and LHP Blake Taylor each twirled a scoreless frame of relief and RHP Ty Buttrey navigated through a jam in the ninth to close out the game for the Space Cowboys. The win snaps a six-game losing streak for Sugar Land.

The Space Cowboys continue their six-game tangle with the Express on Thursday night. LHP Nick Allgeyer is scheduled to start for Sugar Land while Round Rock has not named a starter for a 7:05 pm first pitch. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV.

*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.