SPACE COWBOYS ERUPT! 12 Unanswered Runs Steal Series Victory!
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys (20-18) just unleashed an EXPLOSIVE offensive onslaught, erupting for a jaw-dropping 12 unanswered runs to snatch a thrilling series victory over the Salt Lake Bees (15-21) with a final score of 14-7 on Saturday night at The Ballpark at America First Square!
The Space Cowboys' bats were absolutely ON FIRE, scorching the Bees' pitching for a staggering 17 hits! It was a hit parade with FIVE different Space Cowboys racking up multi-hit games and another FIVE driving in multiple runs!
But the real fireworks started with Brice Matthews! In a moment for the ages, the designated hitter etched his name in Space Cowboys history, completing a SPECTACULAR CYCLE in the eighth inning with a towering 427-foot, two-run missile to left-center! That's right, folks – the SECOND CYCLE in franchise history and the FIRST of Matthews' incredible professional career! He started the night with a double in the first, followed it up with a single in the fifth, and then blasted that game-tying triple in the seventh! UNBELIEVABLE!
And the offensive fireworks didn't stop there! Just an inning later, Joe Hudson stepped up to the plate and absolutely HAMMERED his SECOND three-run home run of the game! This marked his first multi-homer contest since August 29, 2023, and incredibly, the FIRST SIX-RBI GAME of his entire career!
Let's rewind to the beginning where the Space Cowboys signaled their intent early. Shay Whitcomb's hustle resulted in an infield single with one out in the first, setting the stage for Matthews' scorching double that put two runners in scoring position for Jesús Bastidas. Bastidas delivered with a productive groundout, drawing first blood for Sugar Land at 1-0. Then, in a gritty 12-pitch at-bat, Dixon Machado doubled the Space Cowboys' lead, his sharply hit single deflecting off Yolmer Sánchez's glove to bring Matthews home!
But the Bees fought back, tying the game in the bottom of the first with a two-out, two-run shot from Niko Kavadas before surging ahead to a 5-2 lead with a three-run second inning.
After a tense scoreless third, RHP Rhett Kouba (W, 1-0) took the mound in the fourth and slammed the door shut, inducing a crucial double play and a pop out to Hudson to keep the Bees at bay.
In the fifth, Matthews kept the rally hopes alive with a clutch two-out single. Bastidas followed with a hard-fought eight-pitch walk, passing the torch to Dixon Machado, who delivered his third hit of the night – an RBI single up the middle – pulling Sugar Land within two runs. Then, Luis Castro dropped a perfectly placed single in left field, scoring Bastidas and making it a nail-biting 5-4 game!
The momentum completely shifted in the seventh! With one out, Matthews absolutely RIPPED a liner off the wall in left, showcasing his speed as he blazed around the bases for a stand-up triple! Bastidas then stepped up and delivered the game-tying RBI single! Machado continued his stellar night with his FOURTH hit, placing runners on the corners for Luis Castro, who picked up the FOURTH consecutive Space Cowboy hit with an RBI single, giving Sugar Land the lead at 6-5! Then, the exclamation point! Joe Hudson stepped to the plate and LAUNCHED a towering three-run BOMB to left field on a 3-2 pitch, flipping the game on its head and extending the Space Cowboys' lead to a commanding 9-5!
Even when the Bees threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with one out, RHP Nick Robertson was ice-cold, striking out the final two batters to preserve the crucial 9-5 advantage! What a performance! The Sugar Land Space Cowboys showed incredible resilience and explosive power to secure a truly unforgettable series victory!
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