[Papi]

July 1,2,3,4 at Portland Bulldogs (38-37)

July 1-Alberto Flores homered and drove in three runs and Juan Escobedo went 2-4 with a run scored as Newmarket doubled up Portland 4-2. Jesus Flores pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs, walking just one and striking out six while improving to 11-5 on the year. Flores even helped his own cause with an RBI double in the 5th inning for the Mules. (42-32)
W-Jesus Flores (11-5) L-Jose Garza (0-2) S-John Coury (19) HR-NMKT Alberto Flores (13)

July 2-Ki-heung Song allowed three hits and two runs in the bottom of the 8th inning, allowing the Bulldogs to take a 4-1 lead and hold on t beat the Mules, 4-3. Jason Tate and Carlos Perea each hit solo HR's off Wallace Harrison, who went five innings, allowing eight hits and just two runs, falling to 3-8 on the season. Brad Ford got the Mules within a run in the top of the 9th with a two run double, but that was as close as Newmarket would get as Jeremiah Arnold earned his 14th save of the year for Portland. (42-33)
W-Wilfred Cormack (8-6) L-Wallace Harrison (3-8) S-Jeremiah Arnold (14) HR-POR Jason Tate (17), Carlos Perea (14)

July 3-Quint Kobes, Fernando Peralta and Jeffret Franklin each hit homeruns and Scott Fullerton added two hits and two RBI as Newmarket got past Portland, 8-5. Jesus Guardado improved to 13-5, scattering nine hits and allowing just one unearned run over seven innings. Kenzo Yoshida almost gave it all back in the 8th inning, but John Coury would close the door, picking up his league leading 20th save of the year. Roberto Rodriguez also chipped in with three hits and an RBI for Newmarket. (43-33)
W-Jesus Guardado (14-5) L-Carlos Arellano (5-5) S-John Coury (20) HR-NMKT Quint Kobes (18), Fernando Peralta (9), Jeffrey Franklin (9) POR Jason Tate (18)

July 4-A four run first inning, capped by a three run bomb to right field by Quint Kobes gave Juan Jose Fernandez and the Mules all the run support they would need as Newmarket beat Portland 5-2. Fernandez pitched eight innings, allowing four hits and two runs, walking four and striking out 10, while Roberto Rodriguez added two hits and two RBI in the win for the Mules. (44-33)
W-Juan Jose Fernandez (3-4) L-Marcus Allison (0-4) S-John Coury (21) HR-NMKT Quint Kobes (19)

July 5,6,7,8 at Orono Red Riot (36-42)

July 5-Roberto Rodriguez homered twice, driving in three runs, and Fernando Peralta added a homerun, three RBI and two runs scored as Newmarket beat Orono, 7-5. Luis Ortiz added two hits and an RBI in support of Jesus Flores, who won his 12th game, despite allowing eight hits and five runs over seven innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. (45-33)
W-Jesus Flores (12-5) L-Mark Ellis (5-8) S-Ki-heung Song (1) HR-NMKT Roberto Rodriguez 2(9), Fernando Peralta (10)

July 6-Trailing 6-2 entering the top of the 9th inning, Orono scored six times off Antonio Najera, and beating Newmarket 8-6. The inning was capped as Jorge Gutierrez hit a two out two run double, breaking the 6-6 tie. Dave Spence added a homerun and two runs scored for the Red Riot in the win, while Juan Escobedo homered and Patrick Lafontaine added two hits and two RBI in the loss for Newmarket. (45-34)
W-Jose Moreno (1-0) L-Antonio Najera (0-1) S-Marcos Rios (15) HR-NMKT Juan Escobedo (6) ORO Dave Spence (7)

July 7-Jesus Guardado allowed a first inning run, and then nothing else for the next seven innings and got just enough offensive support as Newmarket got past Orono, 2-1. Guardado pitched the first eight innings, allowing just four hits, walking one and striking out two, while throwing 100 pitches. Quint Kobes had an RBI single and Guardado drove in a run with a sac fly, helping the offense in the win. (46-34)
W-Jesus Guardado (14-5) L-Luis Hernandez (11-6) S-John Coury (22)

July 8-Jarrod Clark hit a pair of homeruns, driving in three runs and Hector Garcia scattered seven hits over eight innings, allowing just two runs as Orono scrounged a split of the four game series, beating Newmarket 6-3. Quint Kobes hit his 20th homerun of the year in the loss for the Mules, while Juan Jose Fernandez had his worst start as a member of Newmarket, allowing eight hits and five runs over seven innings, picking up the loss. (46-35)
W-Hector Garcia (5-12) L-Juan Jose Fernandez (3-5) HR-NMKT Quint Kobes (20), Luis Ortiz (12) ORO Jarrod Clark 2(7)

News and Notes:

NL Player of the Week: Carlos Perea (Portland) .500 (12-24) 2 HR 5 RBI
SL Player of the Week: Steve Murphy (Marblehead) .385 (10-26) 3 HR 7 RBI

-There was a career ending injury this week, for the first time in two years as Manchester OF Jesus Rodriguez won't play again after x-rays showed a fractured spine, suffered crashing into a wall this past week. The 33 year old Rodriguez was hitting .275 with 12 HR and 39 RBI to go along with 15 doubles in 73 games for the Lancers. For his career, all with Manchester, Rodriguez was a .280 hitter with 47 HR and 170 RBI in 306 games. He added 67 doubles and 7 triples in his career, while walking 161 times and striking out 223 times.

-The Exeter Blue Hawks have agreed on a one year contract extension with 40 year old Kunitaro Asano. On the year, Asano is hitting .280 with seven homeruns and 39 RBI in 332 AB's, but is a doubles machine, hitting 34 two baggers already on the year and has 100 doubles in the three year history of the NEBL.

Next up are the last three games prior to the All-Star break for the Mules, as the last place Dover Green Wave come to town. Afterwards will be an All-Star recap!