For four straight games, the Wareham Gatemen have walked off the field with smiles on their faces. They’ve posed for the camera, slapped each other on the back and gone through the handshake line with looks of satisfaction and excitement — they know they’re playing good baseball.
The 7-2 Gatemen remain at the top of the Cape Cod Baseball League West Division after their Tuesday night win over the Orleans Firebirds, a win that also secured the team’s first four-game winning streak since 2019. They’ll return to Spillane Field Wednesday evening to take on the Harwich Mariners in the hopes of keeping the good energy going.
The Mariners, with a record of 6-3 and a two-game win streak, sit at second place in the East Division. In recent games they’ve played in tight pitchers’ duels, but have lost and won by wide margins as well. The Mariners are second in the league in runs (50) and have the second-best team ERA (3.21). By comparison, the Gatemen are sixth in the league with 43 runs and have a 5.30 ERA.
Starting Pitchers
Ethan Darden (Clemson) gets a chance to prove himself Wednesday night after his outing in Wareham’s 15-4 loss to Brewster in which he gave up eight earned runs, six hits and three walks in one inning of work. The lefthander showed signs of promise early in counts but struggled to get ahead, and the Whitecaps batters took advantage. Darden posted a 5.31 ERA across 66.2 innings of work during his sophomore season with Clemson, striking out 42 batters and walking only 13.
Jack Bowery (Northeastern) will start on the mound for the Mariners. The junior lefthander posted a 1.80 ERA in his first outing with Harwich, striking out three and giving up just three hits and one run to earn the win in Harwich’s 10-2 win over the Bourne Braves June 18. During the 2024 season, Bowery struck out 39 batters, walked 12 and allowed 29 earned runs across 52.2 innings of work for a 4.96 ERA.
Players to Watch
With the exception of Wareham’s 11-6 win over the Hyannis Harbor Hawks June 23, the Gatemen offense has been quiet of late. They’ve brought just enough runs across the plate to grab momentum and wins, but it’s been the pitching that’s largely held down the fort. So, instead of a specific player to watch, the Gatemen bullpen is the group to keep an eye on Wednesday night. Their relief appearances have saved multiple games for the Gatemen, and they hold the confidence of everyone on the team. Against a team like the Mariners, who has proven they can shut teams down and also compete in pitchers’ duels, Wareham’s bullpen performance will be crucial.
Michael Anderson (Rhode Island) headlines the Harwich offense, and is likely to pose a threat to Wareham’s bullpen pitching, as the first baseman leads the team in hits (13), RBIs (11), doubles (3) and home runs (3). As one of the best hitters on the Mariners — and in the league — Anderson is slashing .464/.516/.893. During his sophomore season at URI, Anderson served as team captain and led the team with 41 RBI while hitting .252.
First pitch for Wednesday’s game is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Spillane Field. The game will be broadcast on Cape League TV.
Top Photo Credit: Sam White slides into home plate during Wareham's 2-1 win over the Orleans Firebirds, June 25 2024, at Eldredge Park. Photo by Keegan Maloney.
