daily fog: even in the east

Even when their five-game winning streak ended July 22, the Harwich Mariners were in a comfortable spot, eight points ahead of Chatham and Brewster for second place in the East. The way they'd been playing, it looked for sure like the Mariners would bounce right back and continue pulling away.

Instead, that loss July 22 was the start of a five-game losing streak.

With Chatham not playing for two days before the All-Star game and with Brewster losing its first game after the break, Harwich's lead still stood at six points going into last night. But Brewster beat Harwich and Chatham beat Orleans.

The lead is four now, and four looks a lot different than six.

Harwich scored five runs last night, getting three off All-Star Buddy Baumann (Missouri State). But Brewster, trailing by a run, scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead. A two-run triple by Yasmani Grandal (Miami) was the key hit. Mike Freeman (Clemson) knocked Grandal in to make it 7-5.

Harwich threatened in the ninth when Iden Nazario (Miami) walked the bases loaded, but Nazario settled in and got a strikeout to end the game. Brent Milleville (Stanford) had two home runs for Brewster.

Over in Chatham, the A's kept pace with the Whitecaps thanks to a 9-8 win over Orleans, their second straight victory. It was also the second straight game in which the A's scored nine runs and won with some heroics. Chatham trailed by one in the bottom of the ninth before Evan Ocheltree (Wake Forest) delivered a single with the bases loaded to knock in the tying and winning runs.

Chatham and Brewster won't get a chance to tighten things up tonight because everyone is off while the All-Stars get recognized at Fenway Park. But on Thursday, Chatham will visit Harwich. The Mariners have had Chatham's number this year, but if things change Thursday, look out.

Four may turn into two pretty quickly, and two looks a lot different than four.

Elsewhere

• A pair of aces got roughed up pretty good last night. Wareham's Brandon Workman (Texas) allowed seven runs in an 8-4 loss to Y-D. Bourne's Bryce Stowell (UC Irvine) surrendered six runs in a game with Cotuit that ended in an 8-8 tie.
  

• Y-D did all its damage against Workman in a seven-run second inning, which chased Workman from the game. A two-run home run by DeAngelo Mack (South Carolina) and a two-run double by Ryan Ortiz (Oregon State) keyed the rally.
  

• Stowell was solid through four innings for Bourne, but Cotuit tacked on three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth. Matt Holliman (Ole Miss), Kevin Patterson (Auburn) and Joey Lewis (Georgia) all hit home runs for the Kettleers.
  

• Falmouth beat Hyannis 3-1 for its fourth consecutive win. The Commodores now sit in first place by three points. Jorge Reyes (Oregon State) turned in a solid start for Falmouth, and the bullpen was lights-out, with Ben Tootle (Jacksonville State) picking up the save. Ryan Jones (Wichita State) hit his second home run in as many nights and his eighth this season.