Space Cowboys Offense Delivers Behind Steller Hunter Brown Start

(ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.) *– *Houston Astros top prospect Hunter Brown had plenty of support backing his six shutout innings for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday night.

The Space Cowboys nearly matched their 20-run output earlier this season in Albuquerque, in a runaway 15-0 win over the Isotopes.

Yainer Diaz, Pedro León and Jose Siri each homered in a 16-hit effort. It was the Space Cowboys’ second-highest hit total of the year, trailing just their 19 hits in their 20-1 win over the Isotopes on May 10.

Corey Julks went 2-for-5 with a double and four RBI and Enmanuel Valdez finished 3-for-4 with three RBI.

It more than enough support for Brown, who allowed just two hits and struck out seven batters to one walk through his six innings. He pushed his strikeout total to 92 and lowered his ERA to 2.42 – both leading the *Pacific Coast League. *

Diaz hit the first homer and got the Space Cowboys on the board with a blast to straightaway center field in what ended up an eight-run third. It was Diaz’s second home run since joining the Space Cowboys and 11th total on the season, traveling 425 feet.

León’s homered in the third as well – a three run shot – which was his 11th on the year and his second in his last three games, traveling 458 feet. Julks delivered a two-run double in the third and Valdez punctuated the frame, which featured the most runs in an inning from the Space Cowboys this year, with an RBI single.

The Space Cowboys scored a single run in the fifth on a Siri solo homer and another in the sixth when Valdez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Julks struck again in the seventh with a two-run double, Siri followed two batters later with an RBI double and Valdez directly followed Siri with an RBI single.

Six of the players in the Space Cowboys lineup collected at least two hits. Korey Lee and David Hensley combined to go 4-for-9 with two doubles, six runs scored and three walks.

The Space Cowboys will open the weekend by sending Peter Solomon to the mound at 7:35 p.m. on Friday at Isotopes Park, with righty Brandon Gold scheduled to start for Albuquerque.