By Scott Zolotorow
The Bethesda Big Train nearly blew a 6-2 lead in the eighth inning against the D.C. Grays, but they were able to hold-off a late inning charge to win 8-6. The Big Train were saved by two incredible defensive plays late in the game. First, rightfielder Cody Brown (Mississippi State) made a diving catch to end the top of the eighth with the tying run on third with the score at 6-5. Then after putting up two massive insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, shortstop Stephen Alemais (Tulane) made a very acrobatic play to rob Grays’ catcher Brandon Chapman (George Washington) of a game-tying single in the ninth with the bases loaded.
The Grays left five men on base in the last two innings to help the Big Train to their league best 20th win. They are 4.5 games in front of the Baltimore Redbirds on top of the CRCBL standings. The Big Train had another big start from lefty Taylor Stiles (Maryland) who improved to 4-0 and allowed his first two runs of the season in 20 innings of work. Alemais was as good at the dish as he was in the field going 3-5 while scoring two runs, driving in another, and stealing three bases. First basemen Chris Lewis (Sacramento State) had the biggest swing of the game in the third inning. After watching the Grays take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third after a Desmond Stegall (Grambling State) homer, Lewis crushed a three-run homer to left giving Bethesda a 4-2 lead. They held a lead for the remainder of the game.
Cody Brown scored two runs while going 2-3 for the Big Train. To go along with his home run, Stegall also notched a triple for the Grays. D.C. first basemen Webb Bobo (Southeastern Louisiana) reached base four times with an RBI triple, two hit-by-pitches and a walk.
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