Gonzalez Shines, Bellis Breaks Strikeout Record in 14-9 Slugfest Win Against Aces

by Alex Rubinson

Emilio Gonzalez celebrating HR with Brennon Wright and Matt Westley by Mark Thalman

ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Bethesda Big Train outlasted the Alexandria Aces 14-9 on Sunday. On a night when the league introduced its newest hall of famers, the Big Train put up some historical and memorable performances. The slugfest saw a multi-homer from Emilio Gonzalez (Nova Southeastern University). It was also a record-breaking night. Left-hander Drew Bellis (University of Central Florida) passed former Aces' pitcher Max Knowles to set the Cal Ripken Sr. League single-season strikeout record with 61 punchouts.

“He’s got good stuff,” Manager Sal Colangelo said. “His breaking ball, slider is pretty devastating. If you’re a left-hander, it’s very hard to hit.”

Bellis took the mound on the verge of history. He was just four strikeouts away from breaking the record in punchouts. The lefty could smell the record mark. He quickly struck out Cooper Hums and John Colligan to kick things off before retiring the side in order.

Alex Peltier (East Carolina University) and Brennon Wright (University of South Alabama) worked back-to-back walks to start the ballgame for the Big Train's offense. Wright’s free pass marked the 31st consecutive game he reached base. The streak set a record for the most consecutive games a Big Train has reached base in in recorded history (since 2010). Two batters later, Gonzalez smashed a high fly ball toward the right field wall. The ball hit the top of the fence and bounced over it for a three-run shot for the lead. The ball landed just past the outstretched glove of Aces’ Gavin Degnan.

“He’s seeing the ball well,” Colangelo said. “He knew what they were trying to do, and he was able to make the adjustments early. He keeps the bat in the zone for a while.”

Emilio Gonzalez by Mark Thalman

Ernie Echevarria led off the second inning with an infield hit and advanced to second on a throwing error by third baseman Matt Westley (undecided). Bellis quickly took control of the situation. He induced a routine flyout and two grounders to retire the side and keep the 3-0 lead intact.

For the second straight inning, the Big Train got their first two runners on. Brett Ott (Sacramento State) drew a walk and advanced all the way to third on a single by Dylan Murphy (Florida Atlantic University). Peltier struck out but the ball traveled past the Aces’ catcher and allowed Ott to score to pad the Big Train cushion. Wright then beat out an infield single. Shortstop Derek Almeda airmailed the throw to first. Murphy came all the way around to score to open up a 5-0 lead. Gonzalez stepped up to the plate for the second time in as many innings. On the 1-0 pitch, the cleanup hitter belted another towering fly ball to an identical spot. The only difference was the second shot cleared the fence with plenty of room. In two frames, Gonzalez had recorded two homers. After two more hits, starter AJ Murray was knocked out of the contest.

“I was feeling it a little bit,” Gonzalez said. “I was hoping to keep it going, not stop and keep trusting my process.”

One batter into the third, Bellis tied the all-time single-season strikeout record. He forced EJ Hankerson to swing way out in front for his 60th punchout of the season. He was one strikeout away from standing all alone atop of the strikeout leaderboard. After a walk, Bellis was in a tight battle with Hums. In a full count, Bellis went with the heater. He threw the fastball up in the zone to blow it by the centerfielder. History had been made. Bellis had reset the single-season strikeout record with 61. Murphy threw the ball to his dugout to save it for Bellis’ safekeeping. With two on and two out, the southpaw forced a fielder’s choice groundout to end the record-breaking inning.

“It was pretty cool to do something that I can say I broke a record,” Bellis said.

Drew Bellis by Mark Thalman

The Big Train’s offense went down in order in the third. The Aces battled back and hung a crooked number in the fourth. After Bellis surrendered a leadoff walk, Degnan crushed a pitch over the left field wall for a two-run homer. The Big Train still led 7-2 after the long ball. Bellis walked the next batter, and that was all for the lefty’s stellar regular season, as he gave way to Russell Petersen (Whitman College). The righty allowed a walk and single to load the bases with only one out. The Aces had an opportunity to get right back into the contest. Hums lined a base hit up the middle to score a run, as the Aces moved station to station. Colligan cut the Big Train’s lead to three with a line drive sacrifice fly to Steele in right field. Almeda kept the rally going with a two-run single to center. With Echevarria up at the dish, the Aces had batted around. Almeda took off for third. Echevarria hit a soft looper into right field. Almeda scored easily, and the Aces had clawed all the way back to knot the game up at seven apiece.

Wright tried to recapture the momentum with an infield knock. Aces third baseman Michael Powell made an unbelievable diving stop just to keep the ball in the infield. Gonzalez tallied his third hit of the day with an opposite field single to put two runners on for Westley. The third baseman hit a weak grounder to his counterpart at third. Powell tried to pick the ball up and step on third base to start a double play but couldn’t glove the ball, and everyone was safe. With the bases loaded, Peyton Steele (University of Alabama) singled just past the shortstop to give the Big Train the lead right back. Two batters later, Gonzalez raced home on a wild pitch to give the Big Train a 9-7 advantage.

Kide Adetuyi (Florida Atlantic University) came out of the bullpen for a rare relief appearance. Adetuyi worked an easy one-two-three fifth inning. He picked up a strikeout swinging in-between a routine grounder and a deep fly ball. For the second time on the night, the Big Train went down quietly in an inning.

Adetuyi walked DJ Sheumann to open his second inning of work. He was quickly erased when Adetuyi picked him off. The southpaw finished the frame in dominant fashion. He struck out Hums swinging before he caught Colligan looking to send the game into the bottom of the sixth.

“You can’t let them go eight to 10 days and not pitch at all,” Colangelo said of using Adetuyi out of the bullpen.

Josh Skowronski (Winthrop University) popped up directly behind home plate. Echevarria took off his face mask but whiffed on the foul pop up. Later in the at bat, Skowronski hit one just over the third baseman’s glove and hustled into second for a double. Gonzalez made the error hurt the Aces with a loud RBI single to get the Big Train into double digits.

Michael Kass (University of Central Florida) entered in the seventh. The first batters reached on a walk and a single. A run came into score on a sacrifice fly to center. Peltier made a leaping catch to limit the damage. Ott walked to jumpstart the seventh and stole second to get into scoring position, but the next three batters were retired to keep the score at 10-8.

Owen Stewart (George Mason University) toed the rubber for the first time since his rough outing against the Gaithersburg Giants on Tuesday. He surrendered a single and a shallow double just inside the first base foul line, which put the tying run in scoring position. With second and third and one out, Colligan flew out to right field. The fly ball was just deep enough to make it a one-run ballgame. Stewart found another gear to punch out Almeda and strand the tying run on third base.

The heart of the Big Train order was due up in the eighth. Skowronski and Gonzalez got it started with consecutive singles to right field. Later in the inning, the pitch shorthopped the catcher, allowing the Big Train to secure a major insurance run. John Martinez (Florida Atlantic University) picked up an RBI with an infield hit. Murphy followed it up with a walk to force in another run. With the bases still juiced, Wright got plunked in foot for his first RBI of the contest.

Stewart went out to shut the door after he was handed a 14-9 lead. The Aces refused to go down easy. They loaded the bases with nobody out. Stewart then struck out Brayden Huebner. The first out settled down the reliever. He forced Hankerson to hit into a tailor-made double play to end the slugfest.

Gonzalez finished his mammoth night with five hits, including two homers and six RBIs. His season average now sits at a league-high .411. Steele added three hits of his own, and Wright picked up a pair of hits and scored three times.

The Big Train will play their final full game today when they travel to take on the Metro South County Braves at 7 p.m. They will return home tomorrow to resume a suspended game against the Olney Cropdusters at 7 p.m.