It was another late rally that doomed Chatham (13-16-1) in a 6-3 loss to Yarmouth-Dennis (16-14) at Veterans Field on Thursday night. On the heels of that defeat, the Anglers will travel to play Brewster (11-19) at Stony Brook Park at 5 p.m. on Friday — and the magnitude of the game is only heightened by where Chatham and the Whitecaps sit in the East Division standings. 

Here’s a look back at the Anglers’ fall to the Red Sox and ahead to its pivotal game at Brewster. 

At the plate

Chatham collected seven hits in the loss to Y-D, and only one came from the top four hitters in the order. That came on a game-tying RBI single by A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) in the bottom of the eighth, but the rest of the production was scattered about the bottom half of the lineup. That included a 2-for-4 night, including two RBI singles, from second baseman Bryant Burleson (Texas Tech), a 2-for-3 game for Jake Fraley (LSU) and 2-for-4 performance from catcher Nick Collins (Georgetown). 

“I just got my timing down,” said Burleson of his best game, of five, in an Anglers uniform.

For Collins, the productive night was a continuation of a strong stretch. He has collected a hit in nine of 10 games since the Anglers beat Bourne, 13-3, on June 25. Since then, his season average has spiked from .241 to .333, and that figure leads the team. 

On the mound

Even though Y-D finished with 13 hits, Chatham committed three errors and manager John Schiffner was very pleased with the four pitchers that took the mound. 

“We got great pitching from everyone, top to bottom,” Schiffner said. “I was really happy with the guys that came out of the pen and Garrett (Williams) was good as well.”

Williams (Oklahoma State) started and gave up two runs in three innings pitched, and was able to use his overpowering fastball to strike out three hitters. But he also issued four free passes after falling behind in counts and failing to work back. He was relieved by Bryan Goossens (Siena), who was able to work out of jams, and P.J. Conlon (San Diego) and Jeff Gelinas (Maine) were solid in late relief. It was the latter two that allowed the Red Sox to push ahead by three in the top of the ninth, and Conlon was credited for the three runs and the loss. 

Up next 

The Anglers will have a direct chance to strengthen its hold on the East Division’s fourth and final playoff spot Friday, and will have the right pitcher on the mound to do so. Jordan Hillyer (Kenessaw State) will start for Chatham, and has gone at least five innings in all four of his appearances this season. He’s 3-0 with a 0.85 ERA, and has yielded just 12 hits and two earned runs in 21 innings of work. Hillyer will be opposed by Brewster starter Kenneth Oakley, who heads into the game 1-2 record and 6.06 ERA in two starts and five total appearances.

Broadcast information      

Broadcast coverage of the Anglers and Whitecaps begins at 4:40 p.m. with the Anglers Extra Pregame Show. Watch and listen on TRZ Teamline or listen by phone 1-800-846-4700, code 3481. Visit Broadcast Central for more information.