Shay Whitcomb of the Sugar Land Space Cowboys was the MVP of the 2024 Triple-A National Championship Game. (Photo: Phebe Grosser/Minor League Baseball)
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – On a 98-degree night in the desert in front of 8,007 fans in attendance at Las Vegas Ballpark, the Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, beat the Kansas City Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers, 13-6 to win their first Triple-A National Championship.
The Las Vegas Ballpark, for the third consecutive year, the Triple-A National Championship Game, and is home to the Oakland Athletics Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators.
Grammy-nominated platinum recording artist and activist Aloe Blacc sang the National Anthem prior to the start of the Triple-A National Championship Game.
Space Cowboys designated hitter Shay Whitcomb was named MVP after going 3-for-5 with three RBIs, one run scored and one strikeout on his 26th birthday.
“It feels great there is no emotion that can explain it. It’s just we put in a lot of work and to see it come into fruition it was really special,” Whitcomb told World Baseball Network after the game. “All of us have the ability to swing the bat and tonight was the night that the lord blessed me with a few hits.”
The Storm Chasers finished the 2024 regular season at 89-59, while the Space Cowboys ended the year at 93-56.
Sugar Land was the home team on Saturday during the Triple-A National Championship Game.
The Space Cowboys did not hesitate on getting on the scoreboard early with shortstop Jesus Bastidas leading off the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle.
The next batter, center fielder Pedro Leon, hit a shallow fly ball into center field that was out of the outstretch glove of Omaha second baseman Ryan Fitzgerald to make it runners on first and second with no outs.
A few batters later, Space Cowboys first baseman Trey Cabbage lifted a sacrifice fly to Storm Chasers right fielder Tyler Gentry, scoring Bastidas for the first run of the game.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Space Cowboys took advantage of a defensive miscue with third baseman Brice Mathews hitting a check swing ground ball back to Storm Chasers starting pitcher Luinder Avila. Avila threw the ball into center field with Fitzgerald covering the bag as right fielder Quincy Hamilton went to third base and Mathews going to second with no outs.
The next batter, Space Cowboys catcher Omar Narvaez rocked a two-run single into right field, scoring Hamilton and Mathews to extend the lead to 3-0.
Shortly after, Omaha manager Mike Jirschele came out to the mound and called upon relief pitcher Austin Cox to replace Avila.
Avila threw 1.1 innings allowing six hits, three earned runs, and struck out three batters.
During the top of the third inning, the Storm Chasers finally got on the board with shortstop Cam Devanney drilling a 404-foot solo home run over the right center field wall into the pool area to make it 3-1.
A few batters later, Storm Chasers catcher Brian O’Keefe knocked a three-run home run 400 feet over the right center field wall, scoring left fielder John Rave and third baseman Nate Eaton to capture a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Space Cowboys tied the game up at 4-4, with Narvaez drawing a bases loaded walk with one out, scoring second baseman Tommy Sacco Jr.
Jirschele went to his bullpen once again and called on relief pitcher Eric Cerantola to replace Cox. Cox threw one inning, allowing one hit, one earned run, two walks, and two strikeouts.
Sugar Land took the lead once again in the bottom of the third inning, with Leon drawing a two-out bases loaded walk, scoring Hamilton to capture a 5-4 lead.
The next batter, Space Cowboys designated hitter Shay Whitcomb, pounded a three-run double into the left-center field gap, scoring third baseman Brice Matthews, Narvaez, and Bastidas scored for an 8-4 lead.
Space Cowboys manager Mickey Storey did not let starting pitcher Colton Gordon go out for the top of the fourth inning and called upon relief pitcher Nick Hernandez. Gordon threw three innings, allowing six hits, four earned runs, and three strikeouts.
During the bottom of the fourth inning, Cowboys left fielder Cooper Hummel crushed a 439-foot solo home run, landing on top of the roof of the Hyundai Bar in right-center field to extend the lead to 9-4.
A few batters later, Matthews dialed a 428-foot solo home run over the center field wall to plate the score at 10-4.
In the top of the fifth inning, O’Keefe plowed his second home run of the game with a two-run home run over the left field wall, scoring center fielder Drew Waters to cut the deficit to four runs at 10-6.
During the bottom of the fifth inning, Hummel drilled an RBI double into center field, scoring Whitcomb to extend the lead to 11-6.
Sacco Jr. shortly extended the lead to 12-6, with an RBI ground ball single into left field, scoring first baseman Trey Cabbage.