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Game 35 Preview: Chatham vs. Brewster

by Zak Wolf
Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Game 35 Preview: Chatham vs. Brewster
Chatham had the chance to clinch its first postseason berth since 2019 with a win Monday. Instead, the Anglers tied their longest losing streak of the season. A 5-2 defeat to Harwich was the A’s fourth straight loss. Chatham’s last triumph came nine days ago when it beat Brewster 7-3.

Even with their skid, the Anglers remain in poll position to earn the No. 2 seed in the East Division, sitting 3.5 games up on Harwich. Tuesday, Chatham gets another shot at cementing its place in the postseason if it defeats Brewster.

The Whitecaps come to Veterans Field as losers of four straight while holding a 1-8-1 record across their last 10 games. The Anglers have defeated Brewster three straight times, all of which came at Stony Brook Field.

Here’s everything to know ahead of Chatham’s (16-18, East) East Division showdown with Brewster (12-21-2, East):

Probable Starters


Chatham sends Tyler Murphy (Florida Atlantic) to the mound for his second start of the summer. Murphy had a rough go of it in his first start against Falmouth on July 23. Jayson Jones smacked a three-run homer off Murphy in the third inning. He finished the outing with five earned runs and six hits allowed in just 3.1 innings.

Brewster starter Jake Clemente has plenty of experience this summer, starting the second-most games in the CCBL (five). Clemente’s best start of the summer came July 17 against Harwich. The righty tossed seven scoreless frames, surrendering one hit, while striking out six batters. Across 22 innings, Clemente has registered a 3.68 ERA while striking out 24 batters.

Chatham Players To Watch


Jayden Davis (Vanderbilt) has had an up-and-down summer with Chatham. He started off the season in a slump, but found his rhythm during the middle stretch. Though during Chatham’s losing streak, he struggled. Davis’ batting average is down to .218 and his on-base percentage sits at .301. If the Anglers want to climb out of their offensive rut, Davis will play a big part.

Tanner Franklin (Tennessee) was one of five Chatham players to make the Cape League All-Star game. With the Anglers losing several arms, Franklin looks to be a go-to for interim manager Eric Beattie in high-leverage situations. In 9.2 innings, Franklin has given up eight runs this season, though none of which have been earned. The righty’s 14 strikeouts are the second most from any active Chatham pitcher.

Brewster Players To Watch


Nobody in the CCBL has as many home runs (10) or knocked in more runs (34) than Ryder Helfrick. The Arkansas product has wreaked havoc on opposing teams this summer, accumulating. a .823 OPS and .512 slugging percentage. Helfrick is a top prospect for the 2025 MLB draft. He was recently ranked No. 15 on ESPN’s prospect rankings for next year's draft.

While Helfrick is one of Brewster’s most dangerous hitters, Nick Dumesnil has shined with his efficiency. Despite only driving in 13 runs, Dumesnil leads the Whitecaps with 36 hits and holds a .313 batting average. He also presents a danger on the basepaths with a league-high 23 stolen bags — six more than Bourne’s Ethan Conrad, who ranks second with 17.

Number To Know: 15.25


Across Chatham’s four-game losing streak, it has struck out 15.25 times per game. First, the Anglers had 14 against Falmouth, then had 15 against Bourne. Then came 18 in a loss to Y-D and 14 Monday against Harwich. Much of the A’s offensive issues stem from their strikeout problems. Chatham’s 361 strikeouts are the most in the CCBL. Brewster is the next closest team with 346.


Last Time They Played


On July 21, Chatham won its third straight game at Stony Brook Field, defeating Brewster 7-3. The Anglers received an elite start from Garrett Helsel (SIU Edwardsville) in his debut outing. Helsel fanned 10 batters — the most from any Chatham pitcher this season — across 6.1 innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs.

The A’s jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings while Helsel shut down a dangerous Whitecaps lineup. Brewster cut Chatham’s lead to two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but a two-RBI double from Ashton Larson (LSU) gave the Anglers breathing room. Larson drove in a season-high four runs on three hits.