Wagner Wins It for Space Cowboys in Extras

April 26, 2024 – Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Sugar Land Space Cowboys News Release

RENO, NV – In what was a back-and-forth battle all night, the Sugar Land Cowboys (16-8) topped the Reno Aces (12-11) at Greater Nevada Field, 6-5 in their second extra-inning game of the season.

Reno struck first in the bottom of the first inning, but the Space Cowboys came back in the third with a double by Pedro León that scored two, followed by a base hit from Will Wagner to knock in León. Sugar Land would tack on another in the fifth on an RBI groundout by Wagner, making it 4-1 Space Cowboys.

RHP Ryan Gusto threw a season-high 5.1 innings, surrendering a run on three hits in the first, but retired the next 10 in a row and 12 of the next 13, facing the minimum in the second, third, fourth and fifth. In the sixth inning, Gusto gave up a run on an RBI single from Kyle Garlick, then walked another to load up the bases with one out. RHP Dylan Coleman (H, 3) relieved Gusto to get out of the jam, inducing a ground ball hit to Shay Whitcomb, who tagged out Garlick and threw to first for the double play. It would be the second double play of the game the Space Cowboys would turn.

Coleman would find himself going up against the bases loaded again, however this time walking in a run for the Aces to cut down the Space Cowboys lead down to 4-3. RHP Logan VanWey would come in to try his luck against Garlick, getting him to ground out to end the inning. In the bottom of the eighth, the Aces tied the score 4-4 on an RBI single.

Neither Sugar Land nor Reno was able to scratch runs across the board in the ninth, so the game was taken to extra-innings. In the top of the tenth, with two men on, Wagner sent both runners home on a double that deflected off Reno first baseman Tristin English’s glove, breaking the tie and giving the Space Cowboys a 6-4 lead.

With RHP Wander Suero (S, 3) in to close the game out, he gave up a single to allow the automatic runner to score, bringing Reno within one to another tie. Suero then retired Ronaldo Hernández and Kolten Wong to end the game and give the Space Cowboys their second win in extras this series.

The Space Cowboys continue their series against the Reno Aces on Friday night. RHP Blair Henley (0-1, 4.30) is set to take the mound for an 8:05 pm CT first pitch against Reno’s LHP Blake Walston (1-0, 6.14). The game can be heard on ESPN 92.5 FM or online here and seen on MiLB.TV, MLB.TV or Bally Live.

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