Whitcomb Goes Deep Twice As Space Cowboys Top Chihuahuas 4-2

Excellent pitching and three home runs helped the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (3-12, 36-54) take down the El Paso Chihuahuas (4-11, 36-54) 4-2 on Sunday evening at Constellation Field.

RHP Spencer Arrighetti got the start for Sugar Land and hurled a 1-2-3 first inning. The Space Cowboys offense gave him the lead in the bottom of the frame on an opposite-field home run by Shay Whitcomb, his tenth with Sugar Land, putting the Space Cowboys up 1-0.

Rylan Bannon added on another run in the second with a solo home run to right, his ninth of the year and second of the series, pushing Sugar Land to a 2-0 advantage. Arrighetti spun a 1-2-3 third and gave up his only run of the night in the fourth on a pair of two-out walks and a single.

In the top of the fifth, Arrighetti struck out Ray-Patrick Didder for the first out in the inning, but a single and a walk put the tying run at second. LHP Parker Mushinski (W, 2-0) came on and got a fielder’s choice and a groundout to strand both runners and preserve the one-run Space Cowboys’ lead.

Bannon recorded his second hit of the night on a single to begin the sixth and scored on a double with two outs by Marty Costes, widening the Sugar Land lead to 3-1. Whitcomb connected for his second home run of the night in the seventh, a solo blast to left, cushioning the Space Cowboys’ margin to 4-1. It is the first multi-homer game of the year at Triple-A for Whitcomb and his third overall multi-homer game of the year.

RHP Jairo Solis (S, 1) pitched the final four innings for the Space Cowboys, retiring the first seven batters that he faced. The only blemish on his line came in the top of the eighth when Tim Kohlwey doubled and Luis Campusano singled to left, driving in the runner. Solis struck out the first batter in the ninth, and after a single with one out, induced a double play to end the game.

Following an off day on Monday, Sugar Land continues their nine-game home stand with a six-game series against the Albuquerque Isotopes, beginning on Tuesday night at Constellation Field. RHP Misael Tamarez is scheduled to start for Sugar Land while the Isotopes have not named a starter. 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.