July 31st was a Gatemen domination.

After two consecutive rainout days, the entire Cape League began to buckle up for a brutal stretch to end the CCBL regular season.

It was so different for Wareham: five games over the final three days, with the potential of playoffs on the line. The Gatemen would need to play and sustain their best ball of the summer.

With its backs against the wall, Wareham did just that in its doubleheader homestand. The Gatemen beat the Kettleers and Braves, the fourth and top teams in the West Division respectively.

“This (Friday, July 31st) was a fun day,” Gatemen manager Ryan Smyth said. “We were 2-0, and playing the way we did. The energy that we had things are lining up pretty good right now. We got a good vibe going on, so I'm really happy about today.”

In Wareham’s first game against Cotuit, a must-win due to the division standings, the Gatemen jumped ahead early and didn't look back.

Wareham scored in each of the first three innings of the game, including a four-spot in the bottom of the first, finishing the night with seven runs on six hits while facing one of Cotuit's top arms in its rotation.

Then just hours later against Bourne, Wareham played a similar ballgame with its bats exploding once again at the plate. The Gatemen bested the Braves 9-1 after five walks and 10 hits, showing that the earlier performance was no fluke.

“When your back is up up against the wall, you want to see if you're gonna fight or shy away from it. And we got some fighters, and guys are doing that,” Smyth said. “We're not done yet, we still got to take care of business here for the next three and put ourselves in a position to hopefully have an easy way in. But really happy what I'm seeing out of our guys. We're fighting.”

The Gatemen’s backs have been pushed off the wall, at least temporarily. Wareham's two-game win streak and Cotuit’s pair of losses gives the Gatemen the fourth and final playoff spot in the West and control of their playoff destiny.

Wareham must sustain it over the final three games, starting on Saturday in Falmouth.