Steve Englert’s Mariners took a 2-1 lead in the season series against the Gatemen with a dominant 5-1 win on Monday.

Although they are no longer strangers, the two teams sit in very different spots as they enter July. The Mariners are 9-5 and trailing only the seemingly unstoppable Y-D Red Sox in the East Division.

The Gatemen have played well individually but have struggled to pick up wins, sitting at 3-11, the worst record in the Cape League.

Harwich’s win was fueled by starter Jason Krieger’s dominance on the mound.

Krieger carried a no-hitter through four innings, while home runs from Ty Smolinski and Cade Kurland in the second and third innings, respectively, gave Harwich a five-run cushion.

"That was my first time starting, the first three outings were out of the bullpen,” Krieger said. “I really enjoyed it, honestly. I've been a starter my whole life and my whole career at Maine, so it definitely holds a good spot in my heart. I like doing both. I'm just happy to be out there."

Krieger had a duel with Wareham two-way star Caden McDonald, but Krieger came out on top with a highly impressive six innings, two hits, five strikeouts and zero runs allowed.

Krieger is another one of Englert’s New England pickups. Krieger is from York, Pennsylvania, but attends the University of Maine. Krieger is the only Black Bear in the Cape League this summer, but he takes after his Maine teammate Gianni Gambardella who was with Harwich last summer. Krieger is proud to represent Maine and perform on the Cape.

“It's a great experience,” Krieger said. “I think it's one of the best places to play on the Cape, and the competition is great. It's a good time."

Krieger follows a recent pipeline of Maine pitchers to Harwich. Matt Pushard, another Black Bear, pitched for the Mariners in 2021 and is now in the St. Louis Cardinals organization after spending time in the Miami Marlins system.

Krieger is one of nine Harwich players who attended either high school or college in New England. That is no coincidence, as Englert, a Roslindale native and Catholic Memorial alum, takes pride in bringing local talent to the Cape.

"Coach Derba up there does a fantastic job with his arms, and he's always been good to us over the years,” Englert said. “We've had some very good arms from that school. Maine guys are New England guys, so I always have a soft spot for them."

Englert takes pride in his roots and is grateful to watch his local recruits play on the Cape, and develop against elite competition every night.

With the Cape League headed to Fenway Park on July 2, Englert is excited for his local stars to get the opportunity to play at a place they’ve each admired for years.

"They're going to have a blast,” Englert said. “I've been there several times, but for these kids it's their first time being in a big league park, especially one of the cathedrals in Major League Baseball. To go out there and take BP, they're going to have a great experience."

Harwich's roster is filled with players from local programs like Northeastern and Englert's alma mater, Boston College. One Eagle from Chestnut Hill is outfielder Colin Larson, who led off for the Mariners on Monday and finished with a hit and a run scored.

Larson also shares the outfield with Ryan Gerety, another member of BC Birdball. Larson is hitting .368 with two home runs this summer for Harwich.

Another slugger on the Cape is Wareham's Caden McDonald. McDonald struggled in his second outing on the mound this summer, surrendering two home runs to the Mariners, but has established himself as a legitimate two-way threat.

He hit .256 with six home runs for Wareham last summer and is batting .500 through his first six plate appearances this season. McDonald has spent the past two summers showcasing his versatility with both the Wareham Gatemen and the Florida Gators.

Harwich maintained their 5-0 lead off of McDonald and carried Krieger’s standout outing until Wareham got one back in the eighth to make it 5-1.

The Gatemen fell back into the losing column and remain in the West Division cellar as they search for momentum entering July.

Meanwhile, Harwich continues to stack together gritty wins as it looks to replicate its championship-winning 2024 campaign in what has become a tightly contested East Division race.