Injury bug hits the Blackbirds

38-and-over baseball at Reid Park


Despite fielding a team with four injured players, the Mountain Blackbirds of the Tucson Men's Senior Baseball League battled back from a 7-2 deficit last night at Reid Park before losing to the Phillies, 7-6.

With just two weeks gone in the regular season, the Blackbirds wasted an outing from righthander Hector Iglecias who went the distance, striking out 15 of 21 batters. Unfortunately, the Phillies picked up a run on two hits in the first inning and added six more in the middle innings before the Blackbirds' bats woke up. The Blackbirds fought back in the bottom of the seventh inning, and  thanks to a bases-clearing single to right center by Tom Bolen pulled within a run and then came right back in the bottom of the eighth as they loaded the bases with consecutive singles from Allen Gillespie, Danny Price and Alex Oropeza.

But with two out, Rick Rochon ripped a shot back to the mound. The ball bounced off the glove of the Phillies' reliever Bill Gardner and into the glove of the Phillies' shortstop who then nipped Rochon at first base to end the game. The Blackbirds return to action next Thursday at Reid Park and take on the Braves. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Price watch:  I went 2 for 4 and drove in a run against the Phillies. Currently 2 for 8 with a run scored and an RBI, with two games in the books as a member of the Mountain Blackbirds. My son, Michael, missed last night's action, but hopes to return next week.