In their first playoff series since 2023, the Brewster Whitecaps didn’t want it to be a quick one. After getting decimated, 10-2, at Whitehouse Field on Tuesday night, they were going to come out fighting in Game 2 at home.
Meanwhile, the Mariners were feeling good after using only two pitchers and getting production in the entire lineup. They hoped they could grab another early lead and rely on a fresh bullpen.
This time, it was Brewster who owned the first inning to take control of the game.
Whitecaps starting pitcher Edwin Alicea, a lefty, picked off both Niko Brini and Ryan Gerety as well as struck out Jake Koonin for an unusual 1-2-3 inning.
In the bottom frame, Maddox Mihalakis crushed a two-run home run off Harwich starter Gianni Gambardella to right field to put Brewster up 2-0. His shot opened the doors for a four-run inning and sucked the wind out of Harwich. The early barrage carried Brewster to the 7-3 win at home Wednesday afternoon to tie the series at one. Both teams will head back to Harwich for Game 3 on Thursday.
It was a frustratingly short outing for Gambardella. He got the first two batters of the inning out on grounders. Brewster then put together a two-out rally that saw five consecutive Whitecaps reach base.
His second inning was not much better. He fumbled a bunt from leadoff hitter Adam Magpoc. The speedster advanced to third after a throw from Harwich catcher Ernie Echevarria sailed into center field on a stolen base attempt. He walked home on a double from Dalton Wentz, extending the lead to five.
After a Mihalakis walk, Brody DeLamielleure hit a grounder that looked like an inning-ending double play. Unfortunately for the Mariners, second baseman Michael Elko couldn’t secure the ball in his glove, allowing Brewster to load the bases.
Gambardella’s night ended when he hit the next batter, Carson Tinney, to give Brewster another run.
Tom Chmielewski came in relief and saved the Mariners bullpen for the second straight night. The lefty bought the Mariners time to come back. He allowed just one run over 6 1/3 innings, at one point retiring 10 straight Whitecaps.
Tough luck for the offense
Sometimes you can do everything right at the plate, but without that key hit, you get nothing to show for it. Entering the ninth inning, the team had nine hits and just one run to show for it.
Harwich almost responded in the top of the second inning. The team loaded the bases with just one out against Alicea. Echevarria stepped up with a chance to cut into the four-run deficit.
Hitless in his seven at-bats during the regular season, Echevarria hit the ball in the last place he was hoping: back to the pitcher. Alicea fielded the easy grounder and fired to home to initiate the 1-2-3 double play.
That was the kind of day for the Mariners. They were 2-for-6 with men in scoring position, struck out just four times and notched 12 hits.
Koonin recorded the team’s only RBI in the fifth. With men on the corners and one out, he managed to beat out a potential double play to score Elko.
The Mariners fought until the very end of the game. Sam DeCarlo and Kyle Wolff hit back-to-back singles against Nate Brittain and advanced on a fielder’s choice grounder from Echevarria.
Dealing with runners in scoring position for the first time all game, Brittain threw two wild pitches to Elko, scoring both runners.
While the runs didn’t come as much as they hoped, the team was pleased with how they swung the bats aggressively against Brewster pitching.
“Our bats are feeling good,” Brini said. “We are in a great spot. I don’t think anybody is hanging their head. We still played really good baseball.”
Moving forward
Olin Johnson gets the start Thursday for the rubber match of the series. He posted a 5.40 ERA during the season. The winner will play the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the second round. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. from Whitehouse Field.
