SANFORD — Wins are never to be taken for granted, but these days, victory by the Sanford Mainers has almost come to be expected.

At least the Mainers believe they can pull out a win every time they take the field.

They did so Tuesday, with a 5-3, come-from-behind triumph over the Holyoke Blue Sox, before a delighted Goodall Park gathering of 399.

Sanford plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh off Blue Sox reliever Matt Compton, to erase a 3-2 deficit.

It served to expand Sanford’s winning streak to seven games, with three more days left in the regular season to tune up for the NECBL playoffs.

“It’s nice to see the guys stay in the game,” said Sanford catcher Doug Elliot, who helped the Mainers’ cause with a two-run single. “There’s never any fear on the bench. We always keep playing. Sure enough, we come out on top. It’s nice to see, especially going into the playoffs.”

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Adam DuVall scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh on Chris Spatkowski’s two-out single.

Elliot followed with the game-winner after Mark Micowski’s liner caromed off the glove of Holyoke second baseman Sean Emory.

Sanford seems to find a new way to win every night.

“That’s what confidence will do for you,” said DuVall. “We’re playing hot, right now. So when we fall behind, we don’t get too scared. Just stick to the game.”

The Mainers snapped a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning via Elliot’s two-run single.

Tucker Nathans and DuVall cracked back-to-back one-out singles, then both moved up a base when Holyoke catcher Zach Wright launched a throw into center field, trying to pick off Nathans at second.

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Elliot followed, and after falling behind in the count, 1-2, drove the next offering from Blue Sox starter Jonathan Stephens into center field.

“I was just trying to keep it simple,” said Elliot. “Don’t strike out, and put the ball in play. I was kind of lucky to find a hole and get two guys in.”

Both runners scored easily to make it 2-0.

Holyoke replied with a run in the top of the sixth then grabbed the lead with two more tallies in the seventh.

That, however, led to one more show of Mainer resilience.

DuVall capped the scoring with an RBI single in the eighth.

“The infield was in,” said DuVall, “so I just tried to poke it through the middle.”

CHIN MUSIC: Sanford High catcher Ryan Legere is getting some bonus baseball action, as well as an education, as he serves as the Mainers’ bullpen catcher. Legere was invited in by the Mainers to help lighten the load of the team’s regular catchers, Bob Stumpo and Elliot. “It’s been awesome,” said Legere, who will be a senior at SHS this fall. “The guys have been great to me.” Asked if he’s handling tougher pitches from the Mainers than what he’s used to, Legere said simply, “Oh, yeah.” ”¦ John Cochin,  one of 11 new inductees into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, hurled the ceremonial first pitch. Cochin, a crafty lefty during his Sanford High playing days, threw his offering up, but in the strike zone. “I’m surprised how good my arm feels,” said Cochin, 73. “I feel like I could pitch a few innings.””¦The Mainers will be back in action tonight (6:35 p.m.), when they’ll host the North Shore Navigators. RHP Colin Snow (3-0, 2.17) will get the start for Sanford. He’ll be opposed by Jim Schult (0-1, 3.26)”¦A win over the third-place Navs, would assure Sanford of home field advantage in the opening round of the NECBL playoffs, which begin Sunday.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.



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