Quick Win: Big Train Capture Fastest Victory of 2019 Season

Due to rainy weather, Tuesday's five-inning contest against the D.C. Grays represents the quickest win the Big Train have had this season. The Bethesda Big Train and D.C. Grays came into Tuesday with a scheduled double-header and the hope that the teams could complete at least one of the games before rains began to pour down from the skies and end it all.

In a way, the teams got their wish as one game was completed--albeit only five innings of that game. Still, Big Train led 8-2 after five, enough to be ruled an official game. With this win, the Big Train (8-3) hold on to first place.

Bethesda got off to an early start, striking in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Darius Foster (San Francisco) attempted to steal third base and crossed home when the throw missed the mark and ended up in left field. Three more runs piled on during the third inning when Gio Diaz (St. Mary's CA) knocked a two-RBI single into right field and advanced to third on an error, where he then scored on a Kobe Kato (Arizona) grounder in the next at-bat.

Success continued for the Big Train into the top of the fourth inning. Tate Soderstrom (Arizona) singled to lead off the inning, Kris Kremer (Penn State) double to follow him, Christian Jayne (East Carolina) walked to load the bases up, and the Train were nearly ready to roll.

Instead, a double-play tempered the onslaught a little bit, but a run did still score on that play, to make it 5-0. Then, Foster singled in Kremer, adding the second run of the inning. Things got a little spicy before the inning came to a final close as Foster stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the Big Train were neither able to bring him, nor Diaz, who made his way to second, in to score before the inning was over.

The fourth inning, however, was also the only inning in which the D.C. Grays scored. They earned two runs off of starter Dalton Ponce (St. Mary's CA), who looked otherwise dominant, whiffing five Grays to extend his league-best strikeout total to 24.

Kremer drove in a run when he ripped a hard hit single to left-center in the top of the fifth, bringing in Jacob Southern (Jacksonville) who doubled to open the frame. Soderstrom scored the final run in the inning on a balk, extending the lead to 8-2.

Tuesday's win marks more encouraging signs for Bethesda. They are now winners in six of their last seven, and considering the dominant fashion they've achieved many of these wins, they have to be considered the team to beat in the CRCBL. And that's not just because this article is on bigtrain.org--I swear.

The Big Train will be back in action Wednesday night, taking on the FCA Braves. This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season, so get ready for an exciting one. It's also going to be "Scout Night" at the ballpark, and no, that's not for you, baseball scouts. Bring your boy or girl scout to the park in full uniform for free admission to the night's game and to rustle and tussle with the numerous other boy and girl scouts sure to be in attendance.