LYNN, Mass. ”“ They needed a win and they got one.

They needed some help, too, but didn’t get that.

No matter.

The Sanford Mainers can take care of their playoff aspirations all by themselves tonight, thanks to a convincing 5-1 triumph over the North Shore Navigators, Tuesday, before 711 at Fraser Field.

Sanford needs just one win ”“ or one loss by the New Bedford Blue Sox ”“ in the final three games of the regular season to secure a playoff berth.

The Mainers say they’re eager to extend the season as long as possible.

“It’s a long grind,” said catcher Doug Elliot, who plays his college ball at UConn. “I think I’m on Game 110. But once you’re between the white lines, you’re there to win. Yeah, you’d like to be home right now. But my friends who aren’t playing college baseball are home on the couch. (Here) you’re playing the game that you love.”

Elliot, who is in his second go round with the Mainers, had a large hand in the win.

His tag play at the plate on the Navs’ Tyler Kuehl after receiving a rifle shot from right fielder Pat Cantwell, saved one run.

His two-run double in the top of the fifth put Sanford ahead to stay.

And helped shepherd Mainers’ starter Mike Augliera through a rocky second inning, allowing Augliera to roll  unabated through a strong, six inning outing.

Sanford started on a high note, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first, after Cantwell, leading off the game, made it to second base on a wild pitch third strike.

He later scored on Mike McCann’s single.

Augliera found bases-loaded trouble in the bottom of the second,  a frame in which he threw 30 pitches.

The Navs did push across one run to knot the score, 1-1,  but Augliera was able to limit the damage and strand three runners.

“Just grinding it out,” said Elliot. “’Augie’ has been the pitcher who has gotten by when he doesn’t have every pitch. Tonight, he didn’t have his change up. Sometimes, he doesn’t have his fastball. But he always grinds it out.”

Said Augliera, “I kind of lost the strike zone, a little bit. Once I found it, I just tried to throw strikes and let the defense make plays behind me.”

Sanford regained the lead with a three-run outburst in the fifth inning.

Elliot supplied the big blow with his big base hit off North Shore starter Crayton Bare.

“He was making good pitches on me,” said Elliot. “I was ready for it when he came in on me. You don’t get many chances with runners on.”

The Mainers tacked on another run in that frame, capped the scoring with Matt Marra’s RBI single in the seventh.

Reliever Alex Caravella pitched the final three innings to button down the win.

“I told them before the game,” said Sanford manager Aaron Izaryk, “that if we played a full nine innings, took care of the baseball, and played harder than the other team, that we had a chance to win. And they did a nice job.”

CHIN MUSIC: The Mainers wrapped up the season series with North Shore with five wins in six meetings. The teams could face each other again in the playoffs. ”¦ LHP Shane Davis (2-3, 2.87) will draw the start tonight against the Lowell All-Americans. First pitch at Goodall park is slated for 6:35 p.m.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.