Thunderbolts and Big Train Look to Clear the Smoke Tonight at Povich
BETHESDA, JULY 18—Smoke from Canadian wildfires have demoralized the DMV as of late, but baseball is still scheduled to be played tonight in Bethesda. The Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts (11-24) and Bethesda Big Train (24-10) will battle for the seventh time this summer. This season, the Big Train are 5-1 against the Thunderbolts.
Last time these two teams met, the Thunderbolts brought an early offensive boom. Nolan Kutney (UMBC) and Marco Pulizzi (Millersville) each hit home runs and Aydin Prell (Dickinson) bashed a bases-clearing double. However, it was not enough to hold off the boisterous Bethesda offense. In this 10-7 outing, the Big Train chugged ahead for a five-run sixth inning to stun Silver Spring-Takoma.
After a fantastic five-game stretch from July 10 to July 14, the Thunderbolts have recently struck a road block. On Wednesday, the Olney Cropdusters neutralized the TBolts’ bats in an 8-2 onslaught at First Responder Field. After taking a 4-0 lead on Thursday, the Thunderbolts fell 8-7 to the Southern Maryland Senators.
Bethesda, on the other hand, have won four of their last five games. Big Train were leading the Cropdusters 6-5 last night at home, but the game was suspended in the top of the seventh due to inclement weather. Bethesda—as their offense has done all season—lead the Ripken League in team average (.296), OPS (.864), RBIs (242), and extra-base hits (107).
Toeing the mound tonight for the TBolts will be Griffin Roussell (Point Park). Roussell will make his sixth start this summer, and his second against Bethesda. On June 14, the righty tossed three innings, allowed one hit, and struck out three Big Train batters at Shirley Povich Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 7 P.M. with Brian Alves and Peter Kelly broadcasting on the Thunderbolts YouTube Channel.