Recap: Big Train walks off Aces in 6-5 thriller

by Calvin Kaplan

Parker Corbin by Mark Thalman

ROCKVILLE, Md. — The Bethesda Big Train displayed tremendous grit on Monday, coming back from an early 3-0 deficit to secure a 6-5 walk-off home victory for its 10th straight win.

“These kids have a bunch of fight,” Big Train head coach Sal Colangelo said. “They’re being aggressive, and you can’t ever take it away from them.”

The Big Train was led by a three-hit day from left fielder Josh Skowronski (Winthrop) and two-hit games from center fielder Alex Peltier (East Carolina), first baseman Emilio Gonzalez (Undecided) and designated hitter Matt Westley (Undecided). Second baseman Parker Corbin (Maryland) secured a walk-off walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to seal the deal.

“It’s a good feeling,” Corbin said. “We’re having fun and we’re competing at the highest level.”

On the hill, the team was boosted by right-hander Michael Devenney (Tulane), who allowed one earned run over five innings. Left-hander Michael Madigan (George Mason) tacked on three innings of one-run ball as well.

The Aces brought home two in the first and one in the second to begin Monday’s contest, taking an early 3-0 advantage as the Big Train went scoreless through its first four frames. Devenney held the Aces without a run in the third, fourth and fifth, and in the bottom of the fifth, the dam finally burst for the Big Train on offense, with RBI singles from shortstop Brennon Wright (South Alabama) and Skowronski.

In the next inning, Alexandria responded with a run against Madigan, and the teams promptly traded scoreless frames in the bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh. With the score at 4-2 in the latter part of the inning, Peltier smacked a sacrifice fly to bring home third baseman Logan Ponnett (North Carolina Charlotte), cutting the deficit in half.

Madigan shut down the Aces with a 1-2-3 eighth that ended with a strikeout, and in the bottom of the frame, Peltier drove in Westley with an RBI single to tie the game at four. In the ninth, the Big Train tasked right-hander James Gladden (Maryland) with keeping the game all square.

After a close play at the plate, Alexandria managed to bring a run home on a sacrifice fly. It wasn’t enough for the Aces, however, as the Big Train tied things with a Westley single and took home the victory on the bases-loaded walk from Corbin.

Up next, the Big Train will travel to face the Olney Cropdusters on the road at 5:30 p.m. today. Its next home game will take place on Thursday at 7 p.m. against the Southern Maryland Senators.