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About

Whitcomb And Hamilton Surge Space Cowboys To Comeback

Sugar Land’s Bullpen Pitches 4.0 Hitless Innings
By Amanda Perry/Space Cowboys
July 31, 2024

After losing the lead in the third, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (66-37, 17-11) fought back with a four-run eighth inning to come back and win it 7-4 against the Round Rock Express (51-51, 14-14) on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond. With RHP Tyler Mahle on the mound for Round

After losing the lead in the third, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (66-37, 17-11) fought back with a four-run eighth inning to come back and win it 7-4 against the Round Rock Express (51-51, 14-14) on Wednesday night at Dell Diamond.

With RHP Tyler Mahle on the mound for Round Rock, Zach Dezenzo led off the second inning with a double down the left-field line. Jacob Melton worked a walk but was forced out at second on a Quincy Hamilton fielder’s choice, moving Dezenzo to third. Dixon Machado worked a six-pitch at bat that ended in a groundout to score Dezenzo from third. With two outs, César Salazar smacked a double over centerfielder Dustin Harris’ reach, scoring Hamilton from third easily to extend Sugar Land’s advantage to 2-0.

RHP Rhett Kouba faced the minimum through the first two innings thanks to a laser from Melton in right field to throw out Andrew Knizner trying to extend a single into a double for the last out in the second. In the third, Kouba surrendered a two-run home run to Trevor Hauver for Round Rock to tie the game up at two. Kouba got a groundout for the first out but gave up three consecutive walks to load the bases. Sam Huff flew out for the second out, but then Andrew Knapp lined a ball just past the second baseman Jacob Amaya, allowing two runs to score and putting Round Rock ahead at 4-2.

After the third, Kouba recovered to retire six of the next seven batters, including a clean fifth inning, to end his night after five frames. The only runs he gave up came in the third, and overall he allowed five hits and three walks while striking out three.

Entering the seventh, Melton worked a leadoff walk and Hamilton singled Melton to third. Salazar grounded out to the right side, giving Melton a chance to race home without a throw from Round Rock to bring Sugar Land within one. The next frame, Jesús Bastidas sent a ball to deep left field, making a bid at tying the game but came up just a few feet short. The next batter, Shay Whitcomb, mashed a solo homer off RHP Owen White (L, 2-8) just fair to knot the game up at four. That would not be all for the Space Cowboys in the eighth, as Dezenzo was issued a walk and Melton was hit by a pitch to put two on with two outs. Hamilton sent both baserunners home on a double into the left-center gap, making it to third on the relay throw to put Sugar Land up 6-4. Machado added an insurance run on an RBI single to bring Hamilton home and make it 7-4.

RHP Forrest Whitley, RHP Nick Hernandez (W, 2-2) and Luis Contreras (H, 8) each pitched scoreless innings, allowing just a combined two walks and striking out three. After the Space Cowboys were unable to get any more runs across the plate in the top of the ninth after loading up the bases, RHP Wander Suero (S, 22) came in seeking his league-leading 22nd save while protecting Sugar Land’s three-run lead. All Suero needed was 14 pitches to get a lineout and two flyouts, giving the Space Cowboys their second-straight win and their fifth-straight on the road.

The Space Cowboys play the third of six games against the Round Rock Express on Thursday night. LHP Colton Gordon (5-0, 5.06) will take the mound for a 7:15 pm CT first pitch. Round Rock’s starter is TBA. The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online hereand 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.

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