Team Blue gets by Team White, 9-5

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball



The temperature was on the rise and the humidity was a bit much at Udall Park today, but the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers battled through it all as Team Blue got by Team White, 9-5.

Lefty Ron Petersen went the distance for Team Blue and picked up the victory. Righthander Bob Daliege pitched a complete game for Team White but was saddled with the loss.

Doc Thompson went 4 for 4 and knocked in two runs to lead the Team Blue attack.

Photos by Conrad Royksund

1. Lefty Ron Petersen unleashes a throw to the plate. 2 and 3.  Bob Daliege uncorks a pitch to the plate, while runner Doc Thompson takes his lead off first. 4. Pigpen Price prepares for a barehanded grab. 5. 89-year-old first baseman Floyd Lance stretches for a putout. 6. Shortstop Tim Boyd makes a play.

Diamondbacks lose 2 of 3 to A's

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (63-67) head for Colorado and open a four-game series with the Rockies on Monday night. The Diamondbacks just couldn't get it done at Chase Field over the weekend, losing 2 of 3 to the visiting Oakland A's -- including a 7-4 loss this afternoon in 11 innings.

Only 32 games left.

A classic matchup at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

A classic matchup between a hitter and a pitcher occurred today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers baseball game.

The pitcher: right-hander Doc Thompson. The hitter: lefty Tim Tolson.

Tolson is the top home run hitter on the TOTS, while Thompson is arguably the hardest-throwing pitcher. Thompson has had Tolson's number and up until today had not let the big lefty hit a home run.

"I couldn't get the ball down today," said Thompson.

The result: a homer over the right field fence by Tolson.

As for the game, it ended in a tie, 8-8.

The TOTS will be back at it next week with games on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Game time: 9 a.m.

Photos: top photo, Tolson, bottom photo, Thompson

Diamondbacks try their luck against Oakland

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (62-65) will try their luck against the Oakland Athletics in a three-game series, after being swept at Chase Field by the high-flying St. Louis Cardinals.

The three-game series with the A's opens tonight with Chase Anderson taking the mound for the Diamondbacks.  Arizona needs to sweep Oakland to get back to the .500 mark. If the A's do the sweeping, the Diamondbacks may as well look ahead to the 2016 season.

Oakland comes to town 55-73 and have won just 25 games away from home. Come on Diamondbacks, get it going!

Diamondbacks sweep Reds

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (62-61) sweep the Cincinnati Reds.

Chase Anderson pitches a shutout into the seventh inning, David Peralta and Welington Castillo hit home runs today as the Diamondbacks win 4-0 and head home after a four-game sweep of the reeling Reds.

Arizona finishes 6-4 on the road trip and returns home to Chase Field tomorrow night to face the high-flying St. Louis Cardinals. Robbie Ray gets the start in the opener of the first of four games against the Cardinals.

Keep it up, Diamondbacks.

Team White wins TOTS' birthday dress-out game, 5-4

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


Most of the action came in the third inning today at Udall Park as the members of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) dressed out in full uniform for their quarterly birthdays baseball game.

Joe Opocensky hit a shot down the first base line in the top of the third to plate two runs to give Team Blue a 4-3 advantage but Team White, with two runners on base, came right back in the bottom of the inning as 89-year-old Floyd Lance drilled a hot one-hopper off the left eye of shortstop Tim Tolson. The ball bounced high in the air  and came to a stop in right centerfield as both runners crossed the plate, giving Team White a 5-4 lead.

Both teams failed to score the rest of the way as righthander Doc Thompson picked up the win and righthander Lloyd Barzell was saddled with the loss.

As for Tolson, he received a small cut just above his left eye. "I might have a nice little shiner tomorrow morning." As for Lance, just two weeks shy of his 90th birthday, he says, "At my age I'm glad to just get a hit."

The play turned out to be the game-winner.

TOTS footnote:  The TOTS, the 48-year-old amateur baseball organization, holds quarterly dress-out baseball games to honor members whose birthdays happen to fall during the current three-month period. The youngest member on the TOTS is 61, the oldest 89.

Snapshots at birthday game by Conrad Royksund:

Art Radtke

Bobby Stofft

Bob Daliege

Chico Bigham and Miguel Urtaza

Jim Pagels

John Misiaszek

Jerry Hamelin

Jerry "the Rocket" Smarik

TOTS oldest player Floyd Lance, 89

TOTS youngest player Ray Gedney, 61

Fun had by all...

Diamondbacks drop 2 of 3 to Pirates

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks lose 2 of 3 games in Pittsburgh -- including a 4-1 loss today as they get just four hits and fall to 58-61.

Arizona is a little tired after losing 9-8 to the Pirates on Tuesday night in 15 innings.

And now the D'backs head for Cincinnati for a four-game series with the Reds.

Arizona is 2-4 on the current road trip and could use a sweep in Cincinnati.

It's a hitter's paradise at Udall Park

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball


The 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers play baseball at Udall Park three days a week. The "good old boys" certainly get in their cuts. See below:

Taking their cuts: 1. Ray Gedney 2. Billy Heiny 3. Arnie White 4. Floyd Lance 5. Bob Stofft 6. Dan Lundwall 7. Ron Carlson 8. Brian Reilly 9. Joe Opocensky 10. Ted Davis 11. Doc Thompson 12. Tim Tolson 13. Leon Glasshoffer 14. Jerry Hamelin 15. Pete Peters 16. Dave Rhoades 17. Chico Bigham 18. Ron Petersen 19. Lloyd Barzell 20. Bob Daliege 21. Pigpen Price 22. Archie Burke 23. Mike Steele 24. Jesse Ochoa 25. Dick Ducklow 26. Jerry Smarik 27. Denny Leonard 28. Dennis Crowley 29. Joe Aparicio 30. Bob Royer 31. John Misiaszek

Photos by Conrad Royksund