Adetuyi, Gonzalez Power Big Train to 20-7 Win over Braves

by Alex Rubinson

John Martinez in the team pregame circle by Mark Thalman

ROCKVILLE, Md. - In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kide Adetuyi (Florida Atlantic University) returned to the mound for his final inning of work. The lefty was gifted with a seven-run lead and had only allowed one hit in the first four frames. Adetuyi showed zero signs of fatigue. He froze Kyndall Cassidy with a perfectly placed pitch on the inside part of the plate and caught him looking. The next batter, Adetuyi continued to show his wipeout stuff. The southpaw worked to the outside against Michael Lavanga, who swung and missed for another strikeout. With his pitch count at over 70 pitches, Adetuyi knew it was time to empty the tank. JW Kohlmeyer tried anything to get on base, so he laid down a bunt. Adetuyi calmly picked up the slow roller and fired to first to end his dominant outing.

“My slider and fastball were working the best,” Adetuyi said. “I have to give credit to my catcher, Murph. I didn’t have to shake off much.”

Adetuyi led the way on the mound, but the Big Train erupted for their second 20-spot of the season with a commanding 20-7 win over the Metro South County Braves on Tuesday night. The Braves were the home team, but due to scheduling conflicts, the contest was played on the Big Train’s home turf at Shirley Povich Field.

“I feel a lot more comfortable,” Adetuyi said, as he is still adjusting to becoming a starter. “It’s becoming more routine and just getting my body right for the next start.”

Kide Adetuyi by Mark Thalman

The Florida native finished his night with nine strikeouts and just one hit allowed through his five stellar innings. He showed impeccable command, as he only issued two walks. He only faced three batters over the minimum. Adeutyi lowered his minuscule E.R.A. to 0.69 on the season. He recorded multiple punchouts in four of the five innings he pitched.

“He just had great command,” Manager Sal Colangelo said. “[He threw] first pitch strikes that we preach. He really executed pitches when he needed to. He had a really good tempo.”

First baseman Emilio Gonzalez (Florida Atlantic University) led the way offensively for Colangelo’s lineup. The slugger worked a walk in the first and doubled in the third inning. Gonzalez stepped up to the plate to lead off the fifth. On a 1-0 pitch, Gonzalez slammed one into the hot summer night. The ball cleared the right centerfield fence for the FAU product’s first dinger of the season. After Gonzalez rounded the bases and stepped back into the dugout, he put on a small green hat as he high-fived his teammates. Gonzalez credited batboy Owen Lieber with bringing the home run hat in one day. The slugging first baseman became the first member to try it on after smashing a long ball.

“I was just looking for my pitch, looking for the ball low,” Gonzalez said of his home run.

Emilio Gonzalez by Mark Thalman

One inning later, Gonzalez lined a single to keep the Big Train line moving. Peyton Steele (University of Alabama) followed it up with a two-run knock. Steele finished his night with three hits and two RBIs in the victory. The Big Train broke the game open with two more runs in large part due to defensive miscues by the Braves.

“I had a rough year at school, so the biggest thing was my mindset,” Gonzalez said. “I changed my swing path a little bit because I was really pushing at the ball, but now, I’m getting to the slot to hit for more power and hit the ball harder.”

Brett Ott (Sacramento State) added an RBI in the five-run sixth inning. He delivered a big hit in the ninth with a rocket two-run double down the right field line. Ott finished with three hits and four RBIs, as he lifted his average to .355 on the season.

“He had a bad injury over the spring, so he didn’t play a lot,” Colangelo said. “He didn’t see a lot of pitches, and his hands were slow. Now he’s getting back to form where he’s been. He’s a great player who will do great things.”

Logan Ponnett (University of North Carolina Charlotte) had a strong night as well. The third baseman singled and came around to score in the fifth. He also showed his savvy baserunning skills with a delayed steal to get into scoring position. After the Braves plated three runs in the sixth, Ponnett hit an RBI grounder, which turned into a two-run error to get two of the runs back, which prevented South Metro County from getting the shutdown inning. The third baseman added a double in the ninth to finish with three hits and four runs scored in the blowout win.

Logan Ponnett by Mark Thalman

One day after leaving 14 men on base, the Big Train had a very efficient night offensively. They scored 20 runs on 19 hits. The Big Train managed to score in nearly every inning with the second frame being the lone exception. Even when the Braves tried to stage a comeback, the Big Train responded immediately and never let the Braves get within striking distance.

The Big Train are back in action and will host the Gaithersburg Giants today at 7 p.m.

Click HERE to read the full recap of Tuesday’s thrilling victory!