Big Train bests rain, takes down Giants 8-2 for fifth consecutive victory

by Calvin Kaplan

Adekide Adetuyi by Nora Kelley

ROCKVILLE, Md. — After a weeklong rain-induced break, the Bethesda Big Train’s Juneteenth Classic almost felt like a second beginning to its 26th season.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much rain in a row,” left-handed pitcher Adekide Adetuyi said.

Still, amid the sparkles and bangs from dazzling fireworks, the pitching staff put on a lights-out showcase.

The Big Train took home an 8-2 victory over the Gaithersburg Giants on Thursday, improving to 6-3 on the season with its fifth consecutive victory. The team was headed by sharp pitching performances from Adetuyi (Florida Atlantic) and Drew Bellis (Central Florida), who combined for seven shutout innings with six hits and nine strikeouts.

“I would say my curveball was working,” Adetuyi said. “I was pulling it sometimes, putting it in the dirt, but I was getting some swings, and then when I landed it, it was no good for them.”

Offensively, center fielder Alex Peltier (East Carolina) led the way with two hits, bringing his batting average to .387 on the year. The team also drew seven walks in total, running away with things during a six-run seventh inning.

“It feels good to be back and playing again,” Peltier said. “After a week off, kind of getting restless, but it’s good to be back out there.”

The extended time off was certainly a setback for the team, but Big Train head coach Sal Colangelo said there are positives to be gleaned as well.

“Just some bad fortune with weather, but that’s baseball,” Colangelo said. “The nice thing about it is, to be great, you’ve got to be uncomfortable first before you become comfortable.”

The Giants’ lineup looked quite uncomfortable after four days off, struggling to find any momentum and failing to score through the first eight innings. Meanwhile, for the Big Train, rust seemed to be effectively a non-issue.

“Pitchers threw great, hitters played well,” Colangelo said. “There’s times where you’ve got to drive runs in, but overall, being off a week, that’s not too shabby.”

Looking forward, the team currently stares down a jam-packed June schedule, with 13 games currently on the docket in the next 11 days.

So what’s the key to staying ready?

“Staying hydrated, staying in the moment, just doing what you do,” Colangelo said. “I’m just looking forward to who we have tomorrow.”

“Even if you do have a bad game, you've just got to flush it and be ready for the next one,” Peltier said. “They’re gonna be coming rapid-fire at us soon, so just staying consistent and showing up every day would be huge.”

“You’ve just gotta know, when it’s your turn, you’ve got to go. Don’t expect not to play,” Adetuyi said.

The Big Train will hit the road today, seeking to extend its winning streak against the Alexandria Aces at 6:30 p.m. Next, the team will face the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts in a home doubleheader on Saturday, June 21. Those games are scheduled for 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.