Walk-Off Single Completes Improbable Space Cowboys Comeback
Trailing 5-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (44-60, 11-18) rallied to send the game to extras before picking up a 7-6 walk-off win over the Tacoma Rainiers (53-51, 16-13) on Wednesday night at Constellation Field. David Hensley sparked the rally with a one-out
Trailing 5-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (44-60, 11-18) rallied to send the game to extras before picking up a 7-6 walk-off win over the Tacoma Rainiers (53-51, 16-13) on Wednesday night at Constellation Field.
David Hensley sparked the rally with a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh and advanced to second on a fielding error by Adam Engel. Luke Berryhill doubled to the left-field gap, driving in Hensley to pull the Space Cowboys within three at 5-2. After a groundout kept Berryhill at second, Jon Singleton launched a two-run homer to right, making it a one-run game. It’s the sixth game out of his last 11 that Singleton has hit a home run and his seventh overall in that span.
RHP Joe Record and RHP Joel Kuhnel each hurled a scoreless inning for Sugar Land, keeping the Space Cowboys within striking distance heading to the bottom of the ninth inning. RHP Diego Castillo (L, 4-4; BS, 5) retired the first two Sugar Land hitters in the bottom of the ninth, but Berryhill walked, moved to second on a walk pitch and advanced to third on a passed ball. Rylan Bannon walked to put the winning run on base, and a balk from Castillo scored the tying run, leveling the game at 5-5.
Having used six relievers already in the contest, the Space Cowboys turned to OF Marty Costes (W, 1-0) to throw the top of the 10th inning. Costes walked the first batter he faced but got Brain O’Keefe to hit into a double play, advancing the bonus runner to third. Costes walked the next hitter and had the bonus runner score on a wild pitch; however the outfielder coaxed a flyout from Robbie Tenerowicz, sending the game to the bottom of the 10th with the Space Cowboys trailing 6-5.
With one out in the bottom of the tenth, Pedro León doubled down the left-field line, scoring Singleton as the bonus runner to bring the contest even at 6-6. Bligh Madris was intentionally walked and after a flyout, JJ Matijevic singled up the middle, scoring León to secure the sixth walk-off of the year for the Sugar Land.
JJ FTW!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/JE68RFRGjS
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) August 3, 2023
RHP Matt Ruppenthal was called upon to start for Sugar Land and retired the first sixth batters that he faced. The Space Cowboys took a lead in the bottom of the second when Madris hit a solo home run to right, but the Rainiers scored four in the third and one in the fourth to open up a 5-1 lead.
With the series even at a game each, the Space Cowboys continue their six-game set with the Rainiers on Thursday night. RHP Spencer Arrighetti is scheduled to start for Sugar Land while Tacoma is set to send RHP Adam Oller to the hill 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.