Sugar Land Pulls Away from Tacoma to Clinch Series in Sunday Finale

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PCL Sugar Land Space Cowboys

Sugar Land Pulls Away from Tacoma to Clinch Series in Sunday Finale

April 27, 2025 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release


TACOMA, WA - Runs in four consecutive innings, a four-hit game from César Salazar and three extra-base hits from Shay Whitcomb allowed the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (13-14) to deliver the knockout blow over the Tacoma Rainiers (11-16) with an 8-3 series-clinching win on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium. Highlights of today's game can be [?Folder icon] found here.

For the third time in the series, Sugar Land launched a first-inning home run as Whitcomb whacked a 406-foot solo shot to give the Space Cowboys an early 1-0 lead.

RHP Aaron Brown sat down the first four batters he faced but allowed a solo home run to Austin Shenton in the second and two more solo homers in the third as Sugar land fell behind, 3-1.

Sugar Land responded in the fourth as Jésus Bastidas drew a walk and Salazar scorched a double into the left-center gap, scoring Bastidas from first and cutting the deficit in half.

Brown maneuvered around two runners in scoring position in the home half, striking out Colin Davis on three pitches with two outs to keep it a one-run game.

The Space Cowboys re-took the lead in the fifth as Whitcomb kept the inning alive with a two-out double before Brice Matthews belted a two-run opposite field blast that put Sugar Land up, 4-3.

A lead-off single for Salazar and a double by Kenedy Corona put two runners in scoring position with nobody gone in the sixth. In the ensuing at-bat, Tommy Sacco Jr. lined a single back up the middle, the third consecutive hit of the frame, plating Salazar. A throwing error from Blake Hunt, who tried to throw out Sacco stealing second, allowed Corona to score from third as the Space Cowboys stretched their advantage to 6-3.

LHP Brandon Walter (W, 2-0) relieved Brown in the fifth and spun a scoreless frame before setting the Rainiers down in order in the home half of the sixth.

Sugar Land posted its third consecutive two-run inning in the seventh. Matthews and Bastidas reached to begin the frame before Matthews stole second and third. Salazar socked a liner into center, his third hit of the day, scoring Matthews, and in the ensuing at-bat, Bastidas advanced 90-feet on a wild pitch and took home on the second throwing error from Hunt, pushing the Space Cowboys' advantage to 8-3 as Sugar Land plated seven unanswered runs.

Walter faced the minimum in his final three innings of work, locking down the 8-3 win with five scoreless innings and only one hit allowed out of the bullpen.

NOTABLE:

- Shay Whitcomb smashed a home run and picked up two doubles on Sunday, his sixth homer of the season, 13th double and 19th extra-base hit of the season. Whitcomb ranks first in the Pacific Coast League in extra-base hits, second in doubles and tied for third in home runs. Whitcomb is on a three-game extra-base hit streak, with seven over his last three contests.

- Brice Matthews homered in the fifth inning, his third of the season, and second of the series against Tacoma. With a two-run homer, Matthews collected 5 RBI in the series against the Rainiers. He also took a walk in the first, his 19th of the season, tied for fifth in the Pacific Coast League and stole two bases, running his total to 11 on the year.

- César Salazar recorded his first four-hit game of 2025 and his first since April 12, 2022 with the Corpus Christi Hooks. Salazar is the first Space Cowboy to record a four-hit game this season.

- With a walk in the third, Zack Short extended his on-base streak to 10 games, the longest active streak on the Space Cowboys. Short is tied for first in the PCL in walks.

- Brandon Walter fired five scoreless innings in relief on Sunday after throwing five shutout innings in a start on Tuesday. Walter finished the series with 10.0 innings with 0 runs, four hits, nine strikeouts and no walks.

- Sugar Land posted a scoreless first inning which set a new season-high in consecutive scoreless innings with 17.0, breaking the previous record of 16.0 innings.

- Jésus Bastidas walked twice on Sunday, his second consecutive game with two walks, his first time since August 6-7, 2024 against the El Paso Chihuahuas.

After a season-long 12-game road trip, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys head home for a six-game series against the Round Rock Express. First pitch of game one is on Tuesday at 6:05 pm CT. The game can be seen live on the Bally Sports Live App or MLB.TV and can be heard anywhere at SLSpaceCowboys.com. Season Memberships for the 2025 Space Cowboy season, including Full and Partial Season membership plans, can be purchased online.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 27, 2025


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