Hamilton and Corona Belt Three-Run Homers in Series-Opening Defeat
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys (16-18) blasted three home runs and posted a four-run ninth, but their comeback came up short against the Salt Lake Bees (15-18) 10-8 on Tuesday night at The Ballpark at America First Square. Shay Whitcomb thumped a first-inning home run, belting a fastball 444-feet to
The Sugar Land Space Cowboys (16-18) blasted three home runs and posted a four-run ninth, but their comeback came up short against the Salt Lake Bees (15-18) 10-8 on Tuesday night at The Ballpark at America First Square.
Shay Whitcomb thumped a first-inning home run, belting a fastball 444-feet to left-center, his seventh home run of the year, as Sugar Land took an early 1-0 lead.
Salt Lake plated a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom half and could have taken the lead if not for a diving stop by Luis Guillorme at third base and a marvelous pick at first base from Luis Castro with a runner at third base and two outs.
Luis to Luis saves a run! pic.twitter.com/Ag2QsMW7Tq
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 7, 2025
Although RHP AJ Blubaugh (L, 2-3) struck out two in the second inning, including Yolmer Sánchez looking to end the frame, the Bees took a 3-1 lead on a two-run home run from Tucker Flint.
Salt Lake scored three in the fourth courtesy of a two-out RBI double from Sánchez and a two-RBI triple by Matthew Lugo as Sugar Land fell behind, 6-1.
The Space Cowboys responded in the fifth. Luis Castro recorded the first hit of his Space Cowboy career with a double down the left-field line, snapping a streak of seven-straight Sugar Land batters retired, and Kenedy Corona poked a base knock into center. With two runners on, Quincy Hamilton hammered a three-run homer to right, his second of the year, cutting the deficit to two as Hamilton made it a 6-4 game.
Right back in it, courtesy of Quincy! pic.twitter.com/O1kLNHZ3lH
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 7, 2025
However, Salt Lake scored four runs in the fifth after they loaded the bases with nobody out. Castro’s error allowed two runs to come across, Zach Humphreys hit a sacrifice fly and Flint recorded an RBI double as the Bees stretched their advantage to 10-4.
RHP Shawn Dubin made his third appearance with Sugar Land on Major League rehab and struck out two while tossing a scoreless frame.
Sugar Land would not go down easily. In the top of the ninth, Jesús Bastidas was hit by a pitch, Castro walked and Corona clobbered an 0-2 offering 364-feet to right, the second three-run home run of the night for the Space Cowboys cutting the lead down to 10-7. Hamilton walked, took second and moved to third on a wild pitch before Zack Short brought him in with a single, but Whitcomb struck out as Sugar Land’s comeback fell short.
KENEDY CORONA SAID WE ARE NOT DONE! pic.twitter.com/z37d3CyChb
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) May 7, 2025
NOTABLE:
Shay Whitcomb’s first-inning home run was his furthest hit ball of the season, overtaking his previous high of 406- feet. It was also the fifth-longest tracked home run of his career. Shay Whitcomb has reached base in 16 of his last 18 contests. Over that span, Whitcomb is 21-for-67 (.313) with eight doubles, five home runs, 11 RBI and six walks. Whitcomb entered Tuesday third in the Pacific Coast League in extra-base hits.
Kenedy Corona recorded his first three-hit game at the Triple-A level on Tuesday with a single, a home run and a double. It was Corona’s first three-hit game since April 25, 2023 with the Corpus Christi Hooks.
Luis Castro made his Sugar Land Space Cowboys debut on Tuesday after getting promoted from Corpus Christi on Monday and doubled and walked. This was Castro’s first Triple-A game since May 8, 2021 with the Nashville Sounds.
Quincy Hamilton roped his second home run of the season on Tuesday, his first three-run home run since May 17, 2023 with the Corpus Christi Hooks. It was also Hamilton’s third multi-hit game of the year and first since April 26 against the Tacoma Rainiers.
Shawn Dubin spun 14 strikes out of his 19 pitches in his only inning of work. He tossed nine fastballs and topped out at 95.9 mph while sitting 94.8 mph with his heater.
The Space Cowboys continue their series with the Salt Lake Bees on Wednesday at 7:35 pm CT. LHP Tyler Ivey gets the ball opposite LHP Jake Eder. 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 here.
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 are the reigning Pacific Coast League Champions and Triple-A National Champions. They began playing as the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021 and began playing under the Space Cowboys brand in 2022. 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). Fans can purchase full-season and partial-season plans for 2025 by visiting slspacecowboys.com/tickets.