[Papi]

June 4,5,6,7 at Orono Riot (18-30)

June 4-Sergio Hernandez homered and drove in two, and Alberto Flores added three hits and two RBI as Newmarket snuck past Orono, 4-3. Quint Kobes had a hit and two runs scored in his Newmarket debut in support of Jesus Guardado, who allowed 11 hits and three runs with two walks and four strikeouts. (29-21)
W-Jesus Guardado (7-5) L-Luis Hernandez (3-5) S-John Coury (13) HR-NMKT Sergio Hernandez (10)

June 5-Sergio Hernandez homered for a second straight day, and Quint Kobes added two hits and an RBI as the Mules beat up on the Riot, 7-1. Alex Herman, making his first start in over a month, went seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and one walk with six strikeouts, picking up his first career win. (30-21)
W-Alex Herman (1-3) L-Mark Ellis (1-3) HR-NMKT Sergio Hernandez (11)

June 6-Scott Fullerton went 3-5 with a pair of homeruns and five RBI, and Sergio Hernandez homered for a third straight game as the Mules beat up on the Riot 11-3. Alex Alba went 2-4 with two doubles and two RBI in the win, while Jesus Flores went the first seven innings, giving up five hits and two runs with two walks and three strikeouts earning his 8th win of the year. (31-21)
W-Jesus Flores (8-2) L-Charles Penn (3-5) HR-NMKT Scott Fullerton 2(4), Sergio Hernandez (12)

June 7-Masanori Oshima hit his first career HR, a two run shot, and Richard Rice added two hits and two runs scored as Orono avoided the sweep, sneaking past the Mules 5-4. Brad Ford went 3-4 with a double, homerun and three RBI for Newmarket in the loss. (31-22)
W-Bob Behr (3-4) L-Wallace Harrison (2-7) S-Harry Dykstra (10) HR-NMKT Brad Ford (2), ORO Masanori Oshima (1)

June 8,9,10,11 at Portland Bulldogs (25-28)

June 8-Mario Saenz hit a three run homerun, and Albert Grimes added a homerun and three RBI as Portland doubled up Newmarket 10-5. Alex Alba hit his first homerun of the year, and Quint Kobes added his first homerun as a member of the Mules in the loss. Roberto Rodriguez added three htis and two RBI as well. (31-23)
W-Dave Phillips (4-6) L-Chester Griffin (6-3) HR-NMKT Quint Kobes (1), Alex Alba (1), POR Mario Saenz (9), Albert Grimes (2), Adrian Hall (4)

June 9-Quint Kobes drove in Alex Alba with an RBI double in the top of the 10th inning as Newmarket beat Portland 6-5. Roberto Rodriguez had three RBI while Scott Fullerton added two hits and two runs scored in the victory for the Mules. Fernando Garcia pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three, earning the win. (32-23)
W-Fernando Garcia (2-1) L-Alfredo Guzman (2-3) S-John Coury (14), HR-POR Jack Muirhead (14), Steve Davis (10)

June 10-Scott Fullerton continued to improve, as he had two hits and two RBI, and Allan Fox added two hits with an RBI double as Newmarket squeaked past Portland 4-3. Alex Herman pitched his second straight solid game, going seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs with one walk and six strikeouts, earning the win. (33-23)
W-Alex Herman (2-3) L-Hirotada Mizuno (3-5) S-John Coury (15)

June 11-Jesus Flores pitched a complete game, five hit shutout, walking one and striking out nine and Sergio Hernandez hit a solo HR accounting for all the runs that would be scored as Newmarket took three of four from Portland, winning 1-0. Manny Sandoval picked up the loss despite allowing just four hits and one run with one walk and five strikeouts in seven innings. (34-23)
W-Jesus Flores (9-2) L-Manny Sandoval (6-3) HR-Sergio Hernandez (13)

News and Notes:

NL Player of the Week: Jon Benson (Portland) .417 (10-24) 3 HR 5 RBI
SL Player of the Week: Jesus Rodriguez (Manchester) .407 (11-24) 3 HR 11 RBI

-Harry Behan of the Durham Bobcats has signed a contract extention that will take him through the end of the 2010 season, for $333,000. The 30 year old closer is 4-3 with a 3.42 ERA and 16 saves on the year. He has appeared in 24 games, pitching 23 2/3 innings, giving up 18 hits and just three walks with 24 strikeouts. Last year, he was 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA and 8 saves for Manchester.

-Josh Price and the Exeter Blue Hawks have agreed on a new three year contract that will pay the firstbaseman just over $5.2 million dollars. On the year, his first with Exeter, Price is hitting .331 with 15 homeruns and 41 RBI in 163 AB's. He hit .272 with 15 HR and 55 RBI a year ago for the Augusta Moose.

-Big trade bewteen Dover and Durham this week as the Bobcats send former closer Steve MacFadden to the Green Wave in exchange for last year's homerun champ and Gold Glove winner Patrick Gilbert. Gilbert had lost his starting job to newcomer Marcos Diaz, and was hitting a robust .369 with 6 homeruns, 4 doubles, 2 triples and 22 RBI in just 84 AB's, mostly as a pinch hitter, while MacFadden had lost his closers job to Harry Behan and had gone 4-1 with a 2.39 ERA and 2 saves for Durham. He had pitched in 16 games, covering 26 1/3 innings, giving up 17 hits and 11 walks to go along with 30 strikeouts on the year.

-The disparity in offense between the two leagues is pretty severe. The Northern League is hitting .244 with 401 homeruns, while the Southern League is hitting .269 with 519 homeruns.

-The opposite is true for the pitching as the NL has posted a composite 3.56 ERA while the SL pitching staffs have put up a 4.61 ERA.

Next on tap for the Mules is the end of their roadtrip that sees three games in Portsmouth against the Clippers followed by a trip back to Newmarket to play host to the Durham Bobcats for two games!