RHP Cristian Javier tossed six scoreless innings as the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (4-1, 36-43) secured a series victory with a 5-2 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas (1-4, 36-44) on Saturday night at Constellation Field.
Sugar Land struck first in the bottom of the opening inning. Nick Allen reached on a throwing error before Shay Whitcomb worked a walk to put two runners aboard. Lucas Spence then launched his first Triple-A home run over the right-field wall, giving the Space Cowboys an early 3-0 advantage.
The Space Cowboys pitching staff turned in a dominant performance to keep El Paso off the scoreboard through the first eight innings. Javier delivered his longest outing at any level this season, allowing just three hits over 6.0 scoreless innings while striking out four. RHP Logan VanWey followed with a scoreless seventh, striking out the side after surrendering a leadoff single, before RHP Roddery Muñoz tossed a perfect eighth inning in relief.
Sugar Land added insurance in the bottom of the sixth. Whitcomb and Zach Dezenzo opened the inning with back-to-back singles before Spence connected on an RBI single to right, extending the lead to 4-0. Pascanel Ferreras hit into a double play that scored Dezenzo from third to make it 5-0.
The Chihuahuas mounted a late rally in the ninth, scoring two runs to trim the deficit to 5-2, but the comeback attempt was stymied on a strikeout as the Space Cowboys secured the series win on Saturday night.
NOTABLE:
- RHP Cristian Javier tossed 6.0 shutout innings on Saturday night, allowing just three hits while striking out four. The outing marked Javier's longest appearance at any level this season and the first time he completed 6.0 innings since September 17, 2025, when he started for Houston against Texas. Javier threw 85 pitches, 52 for strikes, and topped out at 93.7 mph.
- Lucas Spence went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI, coming a triple shy of the cycle while extending his hitting streak to 18 games dating back to his time with Corpus Christi. The performance marked Spence's second multi-hit game since being promoted to Sugar Land. Since joining the Space Cowboys, Spence is 7-for-15 (.467) with three doubles, one home run, seven RBI and two walks.
- Shay Whitcomb went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored on Saturday night extending his hitting streak to five games. This season against El Paso, Whitcomb is 15-for-41 (.366) with three doubles, a home run, 14 RBI, nine walks and five stolen bases while only striking out seven times.
- RHP Roddery Muñoz tossed a perfect inning on Saturday, extending his scoreless streak to four consecutive appearances. Over his last 12 outings, Muñoz has surrendered runs in just two appearances.
The Space Cowboys wrap up their six-game set against El Paso on Sunday night. Sugar Land will throw LHP Colton Gordon while RHP German Marquez will take the mound for the Chihuahuas for a 6:35 PM first pitch. 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.