HARWICH — The Iran-Contra scandal and the Stock Market crash seized headlines, a gallon of gasoline was $0.89, and the Lakers defeated the Celtics in the NBA finals.

That was 1987, which is a significant year in Harwich for an altogether different reason – it was the last time the Mariners won the Cape Cod Baseball League championship.

The boys in navy blue have had little success since then, qualifying for the playoffs only once, in 1997. Their 20-year championship-drought is the second longest behind the Bourne Braves, and their 10-year absence from the post-season is the longest stretch among all 10 CCBL teams. 

So when Harwich vaulted to the top of the East Division with a 9-5 record, there was reason to believe this might finally be their year. But the Mariners (13-12) have stumbled since their hot start, winning just four of their last 11 that’s left them in third place and many to wonder if the team’s woeful history will repeat itself. 

Standings be damned, according to Harwich Field Manager Steve Englert, because the only sure thing is that there aren’t any in the roller-coaster Cape League.

“You can go from first to worst or worst to first in a matter of a couple of games,” the Mariners’ skipper said. “First place doesn’t mean anything until the last day of the season.”

What carries more significance than where they fit in among their East Division foes is the team’s character, which Englert said is the best of all the clubs he’s coached during his extended tenure with the team. 

“They don’t cash in, they run out every single ground ball, and they just go out and compete,” the sixth-year coach said. “There’s always fight in this team, no matter how many runs we’re down.”

Making comebacks hasn’t been a problem. Winning close games has, as Harwich is 3-8 in one-run games, including 1-4 in their last five contests decided by a single digit. 

“Some nights the pitching is there, but our bats aren’t, and other nights our bats are there, but the pitching isn’t,” said Englert. That’s how this league is. Some days are daisies, some days are diamonds, but if we can come up with some consistency on both ends, we’ll be fine. I believe we’re talented enough that we can put five, six, seven wins together.”

Englert’s confidence stems from the fact that six starters are batting over .200, led by Joe Sanders (.277), who leads the team in hits (28), has driven in nine runs, and has three home runs, tied for the team lead with Brandon Belt. 

D.J. Belfonte (.260), D.J. LaMahieu (.250) and Chase Leavitt (.234) have also made an impact at the plate, as has newcomer Tommy Medica (.257). But Harwich’s most lethal weapon with lumber is UNC sophomore Dustin Ackley, whom Englert said is “probably the best hitter in the league.”

His stats give credence to that claim.

Ackley, who turned down Team USA and led college baseball with a .417 average, is off to a sizzling start, hitting .415 with 10 RBIs and a .707 slugging percentage and .586 slugging percentage in his first 12 games. 

Ackley has also put two balls over the wall, one of which was a towering three-run shot that helped Harwich pull away from Brewster during the sixth inning in the Mariners’ 6-0 win over the wildcard-leading Whitecaps Sunday.

The Mariners got another tour-de-force performance in that game from sensational southpaw Chris Manno (2-0, 1.63 ERA), who struck out 10 over six scoreless innings and currently leads the team with 34K’s in 27-and-two-third innings. 

Fellow staffer Ryan Quigley (2-0) has also strengthened the staff, which sports a 3.05 ERA (second only to Hyannis), while relievers Brian Dupra (1.69 ERA in 10 games) and Willie Kempf (0.98 ERA in 12 games), have made a habit of making hitters whiff. 

A sign that Harwich is capable of re-taking the East Division lead came Monday when the Mariners put an end to the Hyannis Mets’ five-game winning streak with a 7-3 victory at McKeon Field. 

Michael Morrison pitched six strong innings and Mark Fleury (3-for-5) hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the eighth that helped Harwich top the West-Division leader Mets (16-10) and move the Mariners within a point of second place in the East. They still trail East Division leader Orleans (16-9-1) by seven points. 

D.J. LeMahieu played a big part with a 4-for-5 night that included two doubles and an RBI, and Belt and Shaver Hansen (both 2-for-4) aided Harwich’s 13-hit attack. 

As good a victory as it was, it’s already forgotten.

“After a big win or a tough loss, you have to have amnesia,” said Englert. “You have to get over it and get after it the next day, because every team is talented and anybody can beat anybody on any given night. It’s going to be a dogfight to the finish.”