Julks’ Three-Run Blast Gets Space Cowboys Back in Win Column

Corey Julks belted his team-leading 28th home run of the year Saturday night at Constellation Field as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys defeated the Salt Lake Bees, *6-1. *

Julks’ three-run shot came in the fifth inning to put the Space Cowboys up 5-0 at the time. Julks leads all Houston Astros minor leaguers with his 28 home runs and is tied for third in the Pacific Coast League.

Justin Dirden also homered in the contest, giving him four since joining the Space Cowboys from Double A Corpus Christi. Dirden’s solo shot in the second was his 24th total home run of the season. He ranks third among Astros minor leaguers in home runs, trailing only Julks and Yainer Diaz (25)

The three-run homer from Julks came as part of a four-run fifth inning for the Space Cowboys. Their first run of the frame came on an RBI ground-rule double from Jake Meyers, who went 2-for-3 with the RBI double and a pair of walks.

Brandon Bielak got the start and tossed four scoreless innings without surrendering a walk and striking out three. Shawn Dubin followed with three scoreless innings and picked up five strikeouts. Enoli Paredes struck out the side in the ninth to finish out the contest, giving the Space Cowboys a 3-2 series lead heading into Sunday’s series finale.

Alex De Goti scored twice in the victory and finished the game 3-for-4 with a double and a walk.

The Space Cowboys will send Brett Conine to the mound at 2:05 p.m. on Sunday at Constellation Field to close out the series. Salt Lake is scheduled to start left-hander Kenny Rosenberg.