For the second straight night, the Harwich Mariners had an opportunity to clinch the first playoff spot in the Cape Cod League’s East Division. And for the second straight night, they failed to secure their seat for the postseason.
One day after the offense scored just one run, it was the pitching staff that struggled against the Cotuit Kettleers.
The Kettleers scored six first-inning runs and carried the momentum to a 8-3 win, giving the Mariners their second straight loss. After carrying a six-game win streak, the team has suddenly lost its rhythm.
Harwich starting pitcher Tom Chmielewski came into the game with a 2.04 ERA, poised to battle against the league’s second-best offense.
Cotuit came out swinging. The first four Kettleers reached base and the team scored two runs before the Mariners recorded an out. Chmielewski faced 10 batters in the inning and got pulled with two outs and Cotuit up, 6-0.
“He didn’t have his best stuff,” field manager Steve Englert said. “It happens. That’s the game.”
Having to go to his bullpen earlier than expected, Englert brought in Josh Donegan to get the team through the middle innings. After giving up a home run in the second, Donegan held Cotuit scoreless for the next three innings.
Leading the team in strikeout percentage, Donegan struck out five Kettleers in relief.
The deficit put pressure on the offense, and the Mariners outscored Cotuit, 3-2, for the rest of the game. The team collected eight hits on the night.
The Mariners loaded the bases in the fifth with one out for the hottest hitter on the team, Aiden Robbins. With a chance to put his team on the board, the Texas transfer hit a line drive down the left field line, driving in two runs and cutting the deficit to 7-2.
Robbins led the team with three hits, adding another double and single. He has nine hits in his last six games, batting .375 in the span.
Jake Koonin followed with an RBI single in the sixth for Harwich’s third run. He tallied two hits out of the nine spot.
While a losing streak near the end of the season isn’t ideal, Englert remains calm. Four games gives the team plenty of time to correct itself going into the playoffs.
Harwich still holds a one-point lead for first place over the Brewster Whitecaps. Brewster lost, 10-0, to Chatham on Wednesday. The Mariners need a win/tie or a Chatham loss to clinch a spot in the postseason.
Moving forward
Olin Johnson starts Thursday at Red Wilson Field against the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (18-15-3). The division game is pivotal as Harwich (19-14-3) owns a two-point advantage.
