AUBURN – Talk about your unearned run!

Sanford’s Jeff Beattie reached base on catcher’s interference, then scored what proved to be the winning run on Adam Courtney’s two-run single, as the Redskins downed SMAA rival Edward Little, 6-4, at Pettengill Park Saturday.

Sanford (8-6) had loaded the bases in the top of the fourth without the benefit of a hit in the 2-2 ballgame. Jason Smith led things off by being hit by a pitch, then Colby Perkins walked. Beattie moved them both up 90 feet when his swing struck the EL (4-10) catcher.

Anthony Sprague lined a single to left plating Smith, then Courtney brought home Perkins and Beattie.

“We’ve lost four games by one run,” said Sanford coach Mark Boissonneault. “We needed this one today to regain our confidence. We finally took advantage of some situations. The last few games, we’ve been struggling to get those key hits.”

The visitors broke the ice first with a pair of runs in the third.

With two out, Sanford rightfielder Cody Stackpole walked and pitcher Ryan Bourque helped his own cause by depositing the 1-1 pitch on the other side of the centerfield fence.

The Eddies fought back to even the score in their next at-bat.

Randy Morin reached base with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, third on a balk, then home on another wild pitch.

B.J. Mooney reached on a fielder’s choice, erasing David Lutz who had walked. Kyle Smith doubled to move Mooney to third. Mooney scored on Rory Flynn’s infield grounder.

Edward Little rallied for two runs in the fifth taking advantage of a pair of Sanford errors and a fly to left lost in the sun.

With one out Mooney reached on an error and moved to third on a wild throw as he attempted to steal second. Smith, Flynn, and Derek Miller all singled scoring Mooney and Smith.

The damage could have been grater but the lined shot was snagged by Sanford’s third baseman and turned into a double play.

Sanford added an insurance run in the sixth when the sun played havoc again allowing Courtney to double and score.

“It was nice to play some good baseball against a good team and not feel like we can’t compete with them,” said EL coach Scott Annear. “I felt like we did. We had some clutch hits and we had some big-time pitching.”

Brandon Elie started for the Eddies and was relieved by Dave Roberge in that decisive fourth inning.

“We had some big-time pitching from Roberge who came in and did an outstanding job. Brandon did a good job too. I thought his pitches were getting up a little and they were starting to sit on his fastball.”

Roberge allowed just one hit, the one lost in the sun and struck out six.

Bourque went all the way for the Redskins. He allowed five hits while fanning just two.

“We just couldn’t get a break when we needed a break,” said Annear. “We played good baseball against a good team. We have to feel confident that we can step up and do that.”

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