Memo to a team battling for the last playoff wildcard playoff spot: don't lose three out of your first four games after the all-star break.

It kind of complicates things.

But, if you insist on doing so, at least start cobbling together some wins and do it quickly.

With back to back wins Sunday and Monday, the Haymarket Senators improved their post-midterm record to 3-3, a mark considerably better than their 14-21 overall record.

Most importantly, the team came back from potentially falling out of playoff contention to finding itself one game behind Rockbridge for the final playoff spot.

Of course, there's a catch: Luray entered Tuesday only half a game out and Woodstock and Strasburg checked in right behind Haymarket.

The way Haymarket defeated Harrisonburg 4-2 on Sunday and Front Royal 7-3 on Monday might just serve as a catalyst for how the Senators can possibly enter the playoffs.

"We finally got our break... and capitalized on it," said manager Justin Aspegren following the July 18 victory over the Cardinals.

Gaining an early lead and then maintaining it for virtually the whole game turned out to be crucial for Haymarket during the team's victory Monday.

Shortstop Matt Marra knocked in fellow all-star Josh Boyd with an RBI double after the center-fielder stole second base to put Haymarket up 1-0. Designated hitter Ryan McBroom immediately followed up with an RBI single that drove in Marra to pad the Senators' early lead.

Meanwhile, Haymarket starter Jacob Peterson punched out the Cardinals during four out of the first five innings, tallying up one major flaw in the third inning.

Nash Hutter smacked a lead-off double for Front Royal and later came in on an errant throw from second base. That narrowed the gap to 2-1.

Front Royal tallied a couple more offensive breaks in the sixth inning. With runners in scoring position, a passed ball skipped by catcher Jeff Kammer to score left fielder Lee Wilson. Third baseman Matt Hendricksen then hustled home on a sacrifice fly to center field to give Front Royal a 3-2 advantage.

Things did not seem to be going Haymarket's way in the bottom half of the inning when right fielder Mark Nelson stood on first base with two outs and the Senators still losing by one run.

However, back to back walks to second baseman Mike Friel and Kammer loaded the bases and forced out Front Royal relief pitcher Matt Young.

Now facing Jacob Johansen, Boyd clubbed a clutch 2-run RBI double, leaving himself and Kammer in scoring position for third baseman Chris Bresnahan.

Sure enough, Haymarket took advantage of one more stroke of good luck as a throwing error from second base brought in Boyd and Kammmer and gave Bresnahan enough time to scoot over to second base.

Marra followed up with a hopper that skipped off of the edge of the infield grass and bounced into right field. The throw home from right field then bounced off of the catcher's glove and rolled, not far enough to score Bresnahan from third base but enough to move up Marra to second.

That turned out to be not much of a problem though as Bresnahan dashed to the plate after a passed ball gave him enough leeway.

When all the damage was done, Haymarket scored five runs on three hits to regain the lead.

"It started to kind of happen to us a little more" that inning, said Aspegren while he discussed clutch hitting in tight situations. "You create your own luck too."

Peterson's defense made sure the game stayed just that way too with two major plays in the top of the eighth and reliever Mike Calzetta on the hill.

On a grounder to short with a man on first base, Marra cleanly fielded the ball and flipped it to the second baseman Friel to snag the lead runner. Friel then pivoted toward first base and gunned out the runner with a throw to Matt Delewski to complete the double play.

The defensive heroics were not done there though. As Cody Yount sent a blooper toward left field that began drifting toward the foul line, left fielder Jimmy Dowdell sprinted the same way, sticking out his gloved left-hand to snag the ball at head height causing him to lay out completely and belly-flop on the grass.

He held on to the ball and the umpire rung it up as an out, giving what little remained of the original 134 in attendance a diving catch to cheer.

"It wasn't hit very hard," said Dowdell, adding that once he found himself within five to 10 feet of the ball, "I knew I was going to get it."

Marra ended up closing out the game on the mound, eliminating the Cardinals 1-2-3 to preserve the win for Peterson.

When asked what message he wanted his team to take out of the win as the Senators make a run for the playoffs, Aspegren simply said, "That we can do it."

The regular season is scheduled to end for most teams, including the Senators, on July 27 though Strasburg and Front Royal close everything out July 28.

Haymarket hosts Rockbridge Thursday at 7:30 p.m.