RIGHT FIELD FOG

On Thursday night, the Wareham Gatemen climbed out of the basement and moved into fourth place. Last night, they jumped to third. Today, they could get to second, and Sunday, they could be in first.

Welcome to life in the Cape League’s Western Division.

It’s a little crazy. After Friday’s games, the five teams in the division are all within four points of each other. First-place Bourne has 28 points. Hyannis and Falmouth, who are tied for fourth, have 24 points. Cotuit has 26.

And Wareham — this week’s poster boy for the craziness — has 25.

The Gatemen have won four games in a row. Not too long ago, they were well off the pace, but they hopped over Hyannis with a win on Thursday and kept moving up with Friday’s 8-6 victory over Falmouth.

Eric Pfisterer (Duke) gave the Gatemen six solid innings, and the offense took care of the rest. Nico Rosthenhausler (Oklahoma State) drove in two and Jake Davies (Georgia Tech), who’s more pitcher than hitter, delivered a double and an RBI. Derek Dennis (Michigan) and Adam McClain (Memphis) also drove in runs. Those four guys did their damage from the bottom of Wareham’s order.

The Gatemen had to hold off a late charge from Falmouth but got it done. Ken Ferrer (Elon) picked up the save, his second.

The victory gives the Gatemen the longest current win streak in the league. Can they keep it going? If they do, they’ll keep moving up. Tonight, they play first-place Bourne. On Sunday, they play second-place Cotuit.

First place might not be far off. I guess in the West, it never is.

Elsewhere

Heading into Friday, Brewster had the best record in the league but was 1-2 against Y-D. In their last meeting, Y-D posted a 7-1 victory. This time, it was Brewster getting the upper hand as the Whitecaps won a big tilt by a 9-2 score. It was a typical performance for the Whitecaps, who have won three in a row and now have 20 victories. Andrew Gagnon (Long Beach State) delivered a solid start, allowing a run in 5.1 innings for his league-best fifth win of the year. Kyle Hendricks (Dartmouth), Daniel Renken (Cal State Fullerton) and Jake Barrett (Arizona State) finished it off. The offense broke out for 14 hits, led by three from Cohl Walla (Texas), who also drove in two. Danny Oh (California) and Andy Burns (Kentucky) each had a home run and three RBI. And Brewster did a lot of its damage against a pitcher who’s now slouch. John Leonard (Boston College) came in with a 1.09 ERA but Brewster touched him up for four runs. The Whitecaps added five more runs against the Y-D pen.

Hyannis signed fifth-round pick Cole Cook (Pepperdine) at some point on Friday — and then he got the start Friday night. He must have been ready. Cook struck out seven and allowed one run in five innings as Hyannis beat first-place Bourne 7-1. Cook, who had a 2.93 ERA with Pepperdine and was picked by the Indians in the fifth round this year, could be a big addition. He was backed on Friday by a 12-hit attack. Johnny Ruettiger (Arizona State) went 3-for-5 to raise his average to .360. Mark Micowski (Georgia State) also had three hits, and Casey McElroy (Auburn) drove in two.

Four Orleans pitchers combined on a shutout as the Firebirds beat Chatham 2-0. Cameron Hobson (Dayton) walked five but didn’t allow a hit in 5.2 innings. Burny Mitchem (Dayton) and Will Clinard (Vanderbilt) kept the combined no-hitter going before Chatham broke through for two hits against closer Marcus Stroman (Duke). Stroman got out of trouble, though, and picked up the save. Kolten Wong (Hawaii) led the Orleans offense with three hits. He’s at .350 and has taken over the batting average lead.

Cotuit stayed in front of surging Wareham thanks to an 8-4 victory over Harwich. Standout freshman Brady Rodgers (Arizona State) made his first start for Cotuit, and though he allowed four runs on nine hits, he also struck out 10 and walked nobody in 7.2 innings. He got the win. The Cotuit offense was led by Mike Yastrzemski (Vanderbilt), who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Chad Wright (Kentucky) drove in two. For Harwich, Pratt Maynard (NC State) had two RBI, bringing his league-leading total to 19.

What to Watch

If Wareham is going to keep rising, the Gatemen will have to get through an ace. Anthony Meo (Coastal Carolina) is back with Bourne after Team USA trials and is scheduled to get the ball tonight as the Braves host Wareham at 5:30 p.m. Wareham sends Jack Armstrong (Vanderbilt) to the hill. Also of note, Austin Wood (St. Petersburg), a fourth-round pick this year goes for Cotuit as the Kettleers host Falmouth.

It was safe to expect a cameo, and not much more.

In recent summers, the Cape League has welcomed more and more drafted players looking to improve their stock. Some stick around; some leave pretty quickly. When new broke that LSU star and Red Sox supplemental first rounder Anthony Ranaudo was coming to the Cape, I expected the latter. Two starts or so, strict pitch counts — and not much of an impact.

Instead, Ranaudo has found a home. In the process, he’s become perhaps the biggest story of the 2010 Cape League season.

Ranaudo made his fifth start for Brewster last night and delivered the kind of performance that’s become the norm for him. He allowed an unearned run in the first inning against Falmouth but nothing else. He struck out nine, walked one and surrendered three hits in six innings. His record is now 3-0 and he still hasn’t allowed an earned run in 29.2 innings.

You could say he’s having a little bit of an impact.

Brewster is having a fantastic season, and everything you hear out of Brewster says this team is special, with the chemistry that makes all the difference in the Cape League. Ranaudo has been a huge part of it. By all accounts, he’s not a big-time player just making a stop and moving on. He’s a big-time player who’s helping set the tone.

At one time, Ranaudo was penciled in as the second or third overall pick in this year’s draft. After an up-and-down junior season, Ranaudo appears to be healthy and he’s certainly pitching well. He’s one of the best in the country, and his Brewster teammates know what they’re getting every time he takes the ball.

With Ranaudo and Andrew Gagnon (Long Beach State) leading the way, Brewster has the best ERA in the league by far. It’s at 1.95. Second-ranked Orleans is at 2.35. For a reference point, no team has finished with an ERA under two since 2002, when Wareham did it.

Whether Brewster can keep its ERA that low remains to be seen, but I don’t think there’s any doubt that the Whitecaps are going to keep pitching well. As long as Anthony Ranaudo is on the Cape, you could say the same for him.

Elsewhere

Brewster won that game over Falmouth by a 4-1 score. Andy Burns (Kentucky) and Taylor Ard (Mt. Hood CC) had two hits apiece and Derek Jones (Washington State) drove in two. Brewster has won two in a row and is sitting at 19-8.

Ranaudo wasn’t the only pitcher who delivered a gem last night. Grayson Garvin (Vanderbilt) continued his outstanding summer with seven shutout innings as Bourne beat Cotuit 2-0. Garvin, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last three starts, struck out five this time, allowing four hits and no runs in seven innings. He lowered his ERA to 0.79. A two-run single by Daniel Bowman (Coastal Carolina) in the fourth was all the offense Bourne needed.

Max Perlman (Harvard) also shined as Wareham topped Hyannis 3-0 and leap-frogged Hyannis into fourth place. Perlman scattered five hits in eight shutout innings and finished with six strikeouts. Perlman hasn’t allowed in a run in 14 consecutive innings. The Wareham offense was led by Tony Caldwell (Auburn) and Max Muncy (Baylor), who each hit a home run.

Harwich and Orleans played the longest game of the 2010 season, with Harwich winning 2-1 in 14 innings. Ronnie Richardson (Central Florida), who was pinch-running after a Pratt Maynard (NC State) single, scored the winning run on a throwing error. That run ended a streak of 12 scoreless innings. The game had been tied 1-1 since the first. Closer Matty Ott (LSU) got the win for Harwich with three shutout innings.

Michael Goodnight (Houston) out-dueled Chatham ace Logan Verrett (Baylor) as Y-D topped Chatham 2-1. Goodnight went 7.2 innings and allowed just an unearned run. He struck out five and allowed two hits. With Y-D leading, Anthony Desclafani (Florida) relieved Goodnight and pitched 1.1 scoreless innings for the save. The two runs Verrett allowed were the first runs he’s surrendered all summer. Stewart Ijames (Louisville) and Jordan Ribera (Fresno State) drove in Y-D’s two runs.

What to Watch

There’s a great match-up at Y-D as first place Brewster visits the second-place Red Sox. Brewster sends the second part of its one-two punch to the mound. Andrew Gagnon (Long Beach State), who’s tied for second in the league in strikeouts, goes for the Whitecaps. Y-D counters with an ace of its own, as John Leonard (Boston College) takes the hill. Leonard has a 1.09 ERA.

Three of the four Cape League games on the schedule were rained out last night, but Chatham and Falmouth managed to get their game in. Falmouth won 3-2, handing Chatham its third straight loss.

After Chatham tied the game in the top of the eighth, Falmouth took the lead back on an RBI single by Nick Martini (Kansas State) in the bottom half.

Kaleb Merck (TCU) got the win for Falmouth with a solid relief performance. Merck struck out four in 1.2 shutout innings. K.C. Serna (Oregon) and Kevin Medrano (Missouri State) also had RBI for the Commodores, and Kyle Van Tungeln (TCU) had two hits.

Christian Jones (Oregon) started for Falmouth and struck out seven in six innings. He allowed just an unearned run on two hits.

For Chatham, Ricky Oropesa (USC) went 2-for-4. The Anglers are 12-13-1. Falmouth is 12-14.

What to Watch

With Brewster getting rained out yesterday, Anthony Ranaudo (LSU) is scheduled to go tonight at home. He’ll go up against Falmouth’s Cecil Tanner (Georgia).

For the first time since June 30, the Y-D Red Sox made up ground on the Brewster Whitecaps. It helped that Brewster had an off day, but the Red Sox helped themselves too. Y-D scored early and held off a late charge to beat Orleans 3-2 last night. With the win, Y-D is now four points back of Brewster for first place in the East.

For the last two weeks, Y-D was either keeping pace or losing ground. Every time Brewster lost, so did Y-D, eliminating the chance to catch up.

With Brewster not playing last night, Y-D seized its chance. Stewart Ijames (Louisville) hit his second home run in as many days for the Red Sox and drove in two. Matt Jensen (Cal Poly) went 2-for-4 and knocked in the other run. Jett Bandy (Arizona), fresh off Team USA trials, played his second game for Y-D and delivered his first hit. Bandy could be a big addition; he hit .354 with six home runs this spring.

Tanner Poppe (Kansas) got the win for Y-D with four solid innings. He allowed one run on five hits. Gabriel Shaw (Louisville) made his second appearance and picked up his first save.

Kolten Wong (Hawaii) and Kevin Muno (San Diego) had three hits each for the Firebirds, who out-hit Y-D 12-10. They scored one run in the eighth and had two men on base in the ninth, but Shaw got out of the jam, stranding Wong at second.

Y-D has won two in a row.

Elsewhere

Harwich delivered what’s sure to be the most dramatic finish of the summer. Trailing 3-0 and facing standout Hyannis closer Dallas Gallant (Sam Houston State), Harwich loaded the bases in the ninth and Pratt Maynard (NC State) cleared them with a walk-off grand slam. Hyannis led most of the way and starter Tyler Ray (Troy) was in control. He came out for the ninth with a chance to finish off the shutout, but got into some trouble. Gallant, who had allowed just two runs in 13.1 innings and led the league in saves, came on but didn’t get an out. The home run was Maynard’s second of the season and the four RBI give him a team-best 16. The victory moved Harwich into third place in the East. Taylor Dugas (Alabama), who had been at Team USA trials, was in the lineup for Harwich.

Chatham dropped out of third place with a rain-shortened 4-1 loss to Wareham. Jed Bradley (Georgia Tech) struck out seven, walked none and allowed just a run in six innings for the Gatemen. Offensively, eight of the nine Wareham starters had a hit, and though no one had an extra-base hit or more than one hit, it was enough to put the Gatemen in front. Max Muncy (Baylor), Tony Caldwell (Auburn) and John Andreoli (Connecticut) drove in runs. Bradley raised his league-leading strikeout total to 41.

What to Watch

Anthony Ranaudo (LSU) is scheduled to start as Brewster hosts Harwich at 5 p.m.

You’d think losing Alex Dickerson and George Springer would put a pretty big dent in your offense. Dickerson hit .500 in nine games. Springer hit .288 and, a week after leaving for Team USA trials, is still tied for the league lead in home runs.

Both Dickerson and Springer made Team USA, so they won’t be back this summer. But maybe Wareham doesn’t need them.

The Gatemen lost their first game without those two, but they won the next one 15-4. They’ve gone 5-2-1 in their last eight and they’ve scored 48 runs. In their previous eight games, they scored 25 runs. Without Dickerson and Springer, Wareham still has the league’s best team batting average.

On Monday, the Gatemen kept swinging. They pounded out 12 hits and won a 12-inning game over Falmouth 8-7.

Jonathan Smith (Tennessee-Wesleyan), who’s been a key piece to the puzzle in the two hole, went 3-for-5 and scored two runs. Lee Mazzilli (Connecticut) had two hits, including what proved to be the game-winning home run, and Zach Wilson (Arizona State) and Tyler Bream (Liberty) also had two hits each. Bream drove in a run, bringing his league-best total to 17.

Ken Ferrer (Elon) got the win for Wareham with four hitless innings of relief. He walked six, so it wasn’t exactly smooth, but he got out of trouble when he needed to.

For all the offense, the Gatemen still haven’t climbed out of the basement in the West. But eight of the their next nine games are against teams from the West, so they’ll have their chance to make up ground.

And I’m sure they’ll keep swinging, no matter who’s in the lineup.

Elsewhere

Y-D had lost four in a row but bounced back in a big way Monday to beat Chatham 9-1. Stewart Ijames (Louisville) and Jordan Ribera (Fresno State) hit home runs for the Red Sox, who finished with 10 hits and their second-highest run total of the season. Randy Fontanez (South Florida) got the win with seven strong innings. He struck out three and allowed a run on six hits. Y-D stayed six points back of Brewster, who also won last night. For Chatham, Ricky Oropesa (USC) hit his third home run of the year.

The aforementioned Whitecaps scored two in the first and one in the fourth then held on for a 3-2 victory over Bourne in a battle of first-place teams. Austin Lubinsky (Minnesota) lasted only 3.1 innings, but four Brewster relievers combined to allow just an unearned run. On the other side, the Bourne bullpen held Brewster hitless for the last 5.2 innings, but the damage had been done. Andy Burns (Kentucky) and Troy Channing (St. Mary’s) drove in runs for the Whitecaps, who moved to 18-8. It sure does seem like they’re living right, especially after this game. They were out-hit 11-3.

The bullpen also shined for Orleans, who beat Harwich 3-2. After Ryan Carpenter (Gonzaga) turned in 5.1 solid innings, four Firebird relievers for 3.2 scoreless and hitless innings. Marcus Stroman (Duke) got the save, his third of the year. Jayce Boyd (Florida State) had two hits for Orleans. Steve Selsky (Arizona) and Matt Koch (Loyola Marymount) drove in runs. For Harwich 2010 sixth-round pick Greg Peavey (Oregon State) got the start and allowed three runs in 5.2 innings, striking out three.

Hyannis was four points out of second place when the night began but got within two thanks to a 4-2 victory over Cotuit. Matteo D’Angelo (Winthrop) and Jose Mata (South Carolina) pitched four innings each, with Mata getting the win. Dallas Gallant (Sam Houston State) picked up his league-leading seventh save. A.J. Pettersen (Minnesota) went 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead Hyannis.

What to Watch

Jed Bradley (Georgia Tech), who struck out nine in nine innings of a tied game last time, gets the start as Wareham visits Chatham. Bradley is second in the league in strikeouts.

With eight of ten teams making the playoffs this season, nobody’s ever going to be out of contention. But in the early part of the season, Harwich and Cotuit certainly weren’t in a good spot. Harwich went 5-10 in the month of June, while Cotuit got off to a 2-8-1 start.

Now, the Mariners and Kettleers are two of the hottest teams in the league. Both won last night for their seventh victories in their last 10 games. Harwich has won four straight and sits just four points back of second place. Cotuit has won two in a row and has climbed into second place in the West, just two points back of Bourne.

Harwich kept things going with its strongest offensive performance of the season, beating Wareham 12-4. Seven Mariners had multi-hit games led by Pratt Maynard (NC State), who went 3-for-4 with two RBI. The Mariners delivered five extra-base hits and finished with 17 hits total. Clint Moore (Army), Craig Manuel (Rice) and Taylor Motter (Coastal Carolina) drove in two runs apiece.

Andrew Leenhouts (Northeastern) allowed two runs in six innings and got the win.

As for Cotuit, the Kettleers matched up with Brewster, who’s been pretty hot in its own right and boasts the best record in the league. But Austin Wood (St. Petersburg) and David Colvin (Pomona-Pitzer) combined on a shutout as Cotuit won 3-0. Wood went 6.2 innings, striking out six and allowing just two hits. Colvin didn’t allow a hit in 2.1 innings of relief. Amazingly, it’s the first time Brewster has been shut out all season.

The Cotuit offense was led by leadoff man Michael Faulkner (Arkansas State), who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, raising his average to .346. Deven Marrero (Arizona State) had two hits and scored two runs.

Elsewhere

West-leading Bourne also posted a shutout in a 2-0 victory over Orleans. Four Kettleers took the hill and the first three didn’t allow a hit. Devin Jones (Mississippi State) went five no-hit innings, while Chance Sossamon (Wichita State) went two and Tommy Kahnle (Lynn) went one. Closer Tony Zych (Louisville) allowed two hits in the ninth but didn’t give up any runs and picked up the save. Zack MacPhee (Arizona State) and Travis Shaw (Kent State) led the Braves with an RBI each.

Falmouth, who had lost five in a row before winning its last game, made it two wins in a row with a 9-6 victory over Y-D, which lost its fourth straight. Kevin Medrano (Missouri State) and Andrew Susac (Oregon State) had three hits each to lead a 13-hit Falmouth attack. K.C. Serna (Oregon) also drove in two runs. Both starting pitchers struggled and the game was tied 6-6 after four. But Falmouth relievers Nick Maronde (Florida), Taylor Wall (Rice) and Matt Summers (UC Irvine) combined to allow no runs and just one hit in 5.2 innings.

Chatham had 15 hits and scored only three runs, but thanks to a dominant pitching performance, that was all they needed. Derek Self (Louisville) allowed just one hit and an unearned run in a complete game victory over Hyannis. He struck out three and faced three over the minimum, needing just 85 pitches to do it. Self doesn’t have big strikeout numbers, but his ERA is sitting at 0.90. He went eight shutout innings in his last start. The Chatham offense left 13 men on base but managed to get three runs home. Riley Reynolds (Vanderbilt) drove in two, while Joe Pavone (Connecticut) picked up the other RBI.

What to Watch

Doran Park hosts a battle of first-place teams as Brewster heads West to Bourne. The Whitecaps will have Austin Lubinsky (Minnesota) on the hill. Bourne goes with Austin Stadler (Wake Forest).

It seems like Brewster can do no wrong, even where Mother Nature is concerned.

On a night when four of five Cape League games were postponed due to rain, Brewster came back from a rain delay — and a 1-0 deficit — to beat Wareham 2-1. The Whitecaps are now 17-7, six points ahead of second-place Y-D.

The Whitecaps trailed 1-0 before the rains came. Max Perlman (Harvard) was dominant for the Gatemen, striking out nine and allowing just two hits in six innings. When play resumed after the delay, Perlman didn’t come back and Brewster scored two runs in the eighth to win it. Andy Burns (Kentucky) drove in both runs with a single.

Matt Larkins (UC Riverside) picked up the win in relief of Mike Palazzone (Georgia), who struck out five and allowed one run in seven innings.

For Wareham, John Andreoli (Connecticut) went 3-for-3.

What to Watch

Brewster and Cotuit, two of the hottest teams in the league, will get together at Lowell Park. Jake Floethe (Cal State Fullerton) is slated to start for Brewster against Austin Wood (St. Petersburg). Floethe has a 1.26 ERA, while Wood is at 0.49. Wood was a fourth-round pick this June. Other than Anthony Ranaudo, he’s the highest 2010 pick playing on the Cape this summer.

On the ocean, whitecaps are a sign that things are a little unsteady. The Whitecaps in Brewster are anything but unsteady.

They haven’t won more than four games in a row this season, but more importantly, they haven’t lost more than two in a row. That steady play is the biggest reason why the Whitecaps have the best record in the league.

Last night, they headed to Orleans off a tough loss to Harwich, and the Firebirds were on a three-game winning streak. But with Andrew Gagnon on the hill and the offense ready to go, Brewster found a way. The Whitecaps scored two in the first, one in the second and one in the seventh and held off an Orleans charge to win 4-3. With a Y-D loss, Brewster now leads the East by four points.

The performance last night was pretty typical — good starting pitching and an offensive effort led by Drew Martinez (Memphis). Martinez came in as the league leader in hitting and he built that lead further with a 3-for-4 day. He scored a run, knocked in a run and stole two bases, taking over the league lead in that category.

Cohl Walla (Texas) and Tony Ard (Mt. Hood CC) also drove in runs, while Kirk Singer (Long Beach State) hit a home run.

Meanwhile, Gagnon (Long Beach State) turned in another solid start. You could make the argument that Anthony Ranaudo and Gagnon have been 1 and 1A atop the rotation and Gagnon held up his end of the bargain. He allowed one run on one hit in five innings and struck out eight, which put him into the league lead. Kyle Hendricks (Dartmouth), Luke Bard (Georgia Tech) and Daniel Renken (Cal State Fullerton) finished off the win. It was the second save for Renken.

Elsewhere

Falmouth stopped a five-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over Hyannis. Mark Pope allowed one run and struck out three in 6.2 innings. Kyle Van Tungeln (TCU) went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Kevin Medrano (Missouri State) went 3-for-5. Matt Skole (Georgia Tech), Kyle Bluestein (Jacksonville State) and Chris O’Brien (Wichita State) had two hits each. Trent Howard (Central Michigan) was impressive in the losing effort for Hyannis, striking out 12 in six innings.

Cotuit moved within two points of first-place Bourne thanks to an 8-3 victory over the Braves. Bourne starter Mike Morin (North Carolina) didn’t allow a hit until the fourth but Cotuit broke through with some small ball and then blew the game open. Jordan Leyland (UC Irvine) and James McCann (Arkansas) drove in two runs each and Chad Wright (Kentucky) went 3-for-5. Newcomer Bobby Shore (Oklahoma), who pithed for the Sooners this season, got the start for Cotuit and allowed three runs in 5.1 innings. A.J. Achter (Michigan State) got the win and Matt Andriese (UC Riverside) worked three scoreless innings to finish off the win.

With a tie two days ago, Wareham hadn’t lost in four games. The Gatemen made it five yesterday with a 6-5 win over Y-D. Jack Armstrong (Vanderbilt) allowed five runs in the first three inning but muscled through it and ended up going eight innings, the last five of which were scoreless. Ken Ferrer (Elon) picked up the save. Max Muncy (Baylor) went 1-for-3 with four RBI to lead the Gatemen offense. Jonathan Smith (Tennessee Wesleyan) had two hits. Anthony DeSclafani (Florida) made his first start for Y-D and allowed three earned runs in 4.1 innings.

Harwich beat Chatham 5-2, handing the Anglers their fourth straight loss. Pierce Johnson (Missouri State) and Logan Verrett (Baylor) were locked in a pitchers’ duel early on. While Verrett didn’t allow a run in five innings, Chatham got to Johnson for two runs in six innings. Once Verrett left, though, Harwich got going. The Mariners scored five runs in the final three innings. Steven Proscia (Virginia) went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Brian Goodwin (North Carolina), John Hicks (Virginia) and Aaron Conway (Missouri State) also had two hits each. Daniel Burawa (St. John’s) struck out three in one inning of relief and Matty Ott (LSU) got the save. Harwich is now just a point back of Chatham for third.

What to Watch

Wareham, one of the hotter teams in the league, visits Brewster. Max Perlman (Harvard) goes for the Gatemen against Mike Palazzone (Georgia).