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Pérez Offensive Explosion Ignites Space Cowboys On Wednesday Night

Pérez and Whitcomb Combined To Fuel 15-Run Outburst
12:42 AM EDT

Seven extra-base hits and a balanced offensive attack helped the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (25-34) defeat the El Paso Chihuahuas (25-34) 15-8 on Wednesday night at Southwest University Park. El Paso struck first in the opening inning, using a double and a single to plate the game's first run and

Seven extra-base hits and a balanced offensive attack helped the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (25-34) defeat the El Paso Chihuahuas (25-34) 15-8 on Wednesday night at Southwest University Park.

El Paso struck first in the opening inning, using a double and a single to plate the game's first run and take a 1-0 lead. The Chihuahuas added on in the second when the leadoff batter connected on a solo home run, extending the advantage to 2-0.

Sugar Land answered in the top of the third. Cavan Biggio worked a walk and Joey Loperfido followed with a single to put two runners aboard. Shay Whitcomb then lined an RBI single, bringing home the first Space Cowboys run of the night and trimming the deficit to 2-1.

After El Paso pushed its lead back to two runs with a home run in the bottom of the third, the Space Cowboys responded with a five-run fourth inning. Kellen Strahm drew a walk before Carlos Pérez singled to put runners on the corners. Tommy Sacco Jr. was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Jack Winkler worked a walk to force in a run. Biggio followed with an RBI single before Whitcomb cleared the bases with a three-run double to center field, giving Sugar Land a 6-3 lead.

The Space Cowboys added another run in the fifth when Pérez and Sacco Jr. collected back-to-back doubles, extending the advantage to 7-3.

LHP Colton Gordon earned his second win of the season, tossing 5.2 innings while allowing five runs on nine hits and striking out two. RHP Cody Bolton followed with an inning of relief, while RHP Roddery Muñoz fired a scoreless frame with two strikeouts.

El Paso chipped away in the sixth with an RBI double and later added a home run to cut the deficit to 7-5. Sugar Land answered immediately in the seventh. Collin Price was hit by a pitch before Pérez launched his eighth home run of the season, pushing the lead to 9-5.

The Space Cowboys broke the game open in the eighth inning. Biggio and Loperfido each drew walks before Price ripped a two-run double. Strahm followed with an RBI single, Pérez added a two-run double, and Sacco Jr. lifted a sacrifice fly, capping a six-run frame and extending the lead to 15-6.

RHP José Fleury closed out the victory, allowing two runs in the ninth but got a ground ball double play to Sugar Land’s second consecutive win over El Paso.

NOTABLE:

  • Carlos Pérez finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, four runs scored, and three RBI, falling just a triple shy of the cycle. His four-hit performance marked his most hits in a game since he collected five on July 6, 2021 against Sacramento.
  • Pérez’ homer was his second-consecutive game with a home run. His four runs scored are also the most runs scored by a Space Cowboys’ player this season and the first time Sugar Land has had an individual runner score four runs in a game since Jesús Bastidas on July 10, 2025 @ Oklahoma City.
  • Cavan Biggio went 1-for-3 while drawing three walks. He is now tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with 40 on the season and has worked a walk seven times over his last two games.
  • Shay Whitcomb turned in a big night, going 3-for-6 with two doubles, three runs scored, and four RBI. The four-RBI performance was his highest in a game since he drove in four on September 3, 2025 against Oklahoma City.
  • Joey Loperfido went 2-for-5 with a walk and a run scored as he continued his Major League rehab assignment. Loperfido has now hit safely in four consecutive games with Sugar Land and is 7-for-23 (.304/.407) in six games with a double, two RBI, two runs scored, four walks and a stolen base.

Sugar Land will look to take a three-game lead over El Paso on Thursday night as RHP Ethan Pecko takes the ball for the Space Cowboys against LHP Miguel Gonzalez for the Chihuahuas. First pitch from Southwest University Park is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on the Bally Sports Live app and MiLB.TV and can be heard online anywhere at SLSpaceCowboys.com/Listen.

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, winning their first Triple-A title in 2024 by clinching both the Pacific Coast League Championship and Triple-A National Championship. 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). Season ticket plans for the 2026 season are available now and can be purchased at slspacecowboys.com/tickets.