Aces slam Rattlers, 11-4

Tucson Aces

60-and-over baseball

John Mathews highlighted a 15-hit attack with a solo home run over the left field fence as the 60-and-over Tucson Aces beat the Arizona Rattlers 11-4 today at Udall Park.

Mathews, who went 2 for 3, hit his round-tripper in the third inning to tie the game at 4-4. The Rattlers scored all their runs in the top of the second -- all unearned, when the Aces committed two errors and starting pitcher Arnie White walked four batters and allowed two hits.

It was all Aces the rest of the way as they took a 6-4 lead in the fifth and then added five more insurance runs in the sixth inning. Doc Thompson, Tim Boyd, Reed Palmer and Bob Daliege banged out two hits apiece for the Aces.

Boyd came on in relief of White with one out in the second inning and pitched shutout ball the rest of the way. Ernie Hernandez started for the Rattlers and was saddled with the loss.

The Aces have back-to-back wins this month over the two 60-and-over south-side teams -- the Old Pueblo Club and the Rattlers.

Photo: John Mathews

Maldonado hurls Team Blue to 9-4 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Pete Maldonado pitched all seven innings and allowed just two earned runs to lead Team Blue to a 9-4 win over Team White today at Udall Park. Tim  Boyd had three hits for Team Blue, scored twice and knocked in a run, while Doc Thompson drove in three of the nine runs.

Roger Beebe led Team White with three hits. Bob Daliege hurled a complete game as well, but was saddled with the loss.


The TOTS will be back in action on Wednesday with a  9 a.m. start.

Photo: 1) Pete Maldonado 2) Roger Beebe

Arizona finishes 4-3 in latest home stand

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (55-76) salvage 4 of 7 games in their latest home stand -- including an 11-2 win today over the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field.  Archie Bradley (5-8) picks up his fifth win of the year and Yasmany Tomas hits another home run -- his 27th of the year.

Arizona splits a four-game series with Atlanta and win 2 of 3 with the Reds. The Diamondbacks head for San Francisco and a two-game series with the Giants on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Congrats to Endwell, New York for winning the LL World Series

2016 Little League World Series


Ok, I'll say it.

It ended well for Endwell.

A team from Endwell, New York, won the 2016 Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA., today with a 2-1 win over South Korea.

Congrats, to Endwell!

Barzell allows 5 hits in 5-0 shutout

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Lloyd Barzell allowed five hits to lead Team White to a 5-0 win over Team Blue today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game. Team Blue managed five singles off Barzell -- one each by Ron Petersen, Jesse Ochoa, Pigpen Price, Ted Davis and Reed Palmer.

Team White picked up a single run in the first inning and four more in the fourth inning to complete the scoring. The big guns for Team White were Tim Tolson with a single and two runs batted in, while Doc Thompson singled in a run.

Petersen and Palmer shared pitching duties for Team Blue.

The TOTS will finish up the month with games on Monday and Wednesday and will start the month of September off with a game on Friday. All games will get underway at 9 a.m.

Photo: Barzell

Lowly Diamondbacks return home with a 51-73 record

Arizona Diamondbacks


It remains to be seen if there will be a shake up in the Arizona Diamondbacks front office. It's possible Dave Stewart and Tony La Russa may be heading for the exits. One thing is for sure, the Diamondbacks are back at Chase Field for a seven-game home stand, after losing 3 of 4 in San Diego and further cementing themselves in the NL West cellar.

The Diamondbacks are 51-73 with a four-game series against Atlanta looming and a three-game series to follow with the Cincinnati Reds.

Thirty-eight games left in the season. What a grind.

121 medals for USA at 2016 Rio Olympics

Rio Olympics

The USA brought home 121 medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Forty-six gold, including today's final gold medal by the USA in Men's Basketball with Carmelo Anthony at the helm.

Way to go, USA!

Diamondbacks take 2 of 3 from Mets

Arizona Diamondbacks



The Arizona Diamondbacks (50-70) have had their way with the New York Mets, winning 2 of 3 at Chase Field -- including a 13-5 thrashing last night as Rickie Weeks and Yasmany Tomas combined for four home runs and 11 RBI.

The Diamondbacks head for San Diego and a four-game series, starting on Thursday night.

Note: The Diamondbacks have won five of the six meetings with the Mets this season.

TOTS newcomers a big hit

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Photos: 1 and 2 of newcomer Reed Palmer from Portland, Oregon; photos 3 and 4 of newcomer Pete Maldonado from Bronx, NY.; photo 5 of John Mathews from Tucson and Flowing Wells High School; and photo 6 of Roger Beebe from Tombstone, Arizona. Palmer and Mathews, both 60, homered in their first week with the TOTS.

Photos taken by Conrad Royksund

90-year-old ignites Team Blue to 7-4 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Floyd Lance, the oldest active player on the Tucson Old Timers, ignited Team Blue to a 7-4 win over Team White today at Udall Park.

Lance, 90, and just a few weeks away from his 91st birthday, drilled a shot to left field to score Pigpen Price from second base to break a 2-2 tie in the top of the fourth inning and Team Blue went on to score four more runs to take a commanding 7-2 lead.

Price pitched five innings for Team Blue and picked up the win, while Bob Daliege, in his first start in five weeks, was saddled with the loss, despite hurling all six innings for Team White. Price allowed six hits and just two earned runs in his five innings of work, while walking four and striking out one batter.

Pete Maldonado pitched the final inning for Team Blue to pick up the save, allowing just one run. Tim Tolson went 3 for 3 for Team Blue -- including a booming RBI-double off the base of the right field fence.

The TOTS will close out the week at Udall Park with a game on Friday. The game will get underway at 9 a.m.

Aces edge Old Pueblo Club, 5-4

The Tucson Aces

The 60-and-over Tucson Aces edged the Old Pueblo Club 5-4 today at Udall Park. Lefty Ron Petersen pitched the first four innings for the Aces and picked up the win, while Tim Boyd came on in the fifth inning and notched the save.

The Aces collected only eight hits off right-hander Joe Jimenez, but they made all of them count. Reed Palmer went 2 for 2 and drove in two runs, while Petersen helped his own cause with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth when the Aces scored four runs to take a 5-1 lead.

The Aces' Brian Reilly also drove in a run in the fourth inning with a double over the head of Old Pueblo's center fielder.

In the top of the sixth, the Old Pueblo Club scored three runs and had the bases loaded with one out, but Jimenez hit a hard grounder to third baseman Pigpen Price, who stepped on third and threw to first for the final out of the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Boyd put together a 1-2-3 inning, including a strike out to end the game when he caught Chris Carino looking at a third strike.

The Old Pueblo Club won the 60-and-over Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL) World Series in 2012 in Phoenix and most of the players on the field of play today will return to Phoenix in October, as a 65-and-over team, under the name of the Tucson Toros.

The Aces will also play in Phoenix in October and will field a 65-and-over team and there's a chance the two teams will lock horns again.

Photo: Ron Petersen, who drove in two runs with a sixth-inning single today for the Aces and also hurled the first four innings to earn the win.

Team White squeezes out a 6-5 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Tim Boyd went 3 for 3 and scored the winning run to lead Team White to a 6-5 win over Team Blue today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.


With the score tied at 5-5, Boyd doubled to center field, went to third on a sacrifice bunt down the first baseline by Pigpen Price and scored the game-winner on a ground out to the left side by Ron Carlson.

Pete Maldonado pitched all six innings for Team White and picked up the win, while Lloyd Barzell was saddled with the loss. Barzell led Team Blue at the plate with a 3 for 3 performance.

The TOTS will be back in action at Udall Park on Wednesday. Game time 9 a.m.

Photo: Tim Boyd

Wins some...lose some

Arizona Diamondbacks


After a four-game winning streak, the Arizona Diamondbacks (48-69) lose three in a row in Boston -- including a 16-2 loss today to the Red Sox. Zack Greinke tagged for three home runs and nine runs in 1 2/3 innings and falls to 11-4.

Palmer's 2-run single lifts Team White to 12-7 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Another muggy day at Udall Park but the TOTS took the field anyway as Team White knocked off Team Blue 12-7 this morning in 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

With the score deadlocked at 5-5 in the bottom of the fourth, newcomer Reed Palmer singled sharply to right field. Two runs scored on the hit and Team White added five more runs in the fifth inning for good measure.

Tim Tolson knocked in three runs for Team White, while Jesse Ochoa went 2 for 3 for Team Blue and  picked up two RBI. Right-hander Lloyd Barzell went the distance for Team White to pick up the win and lefty Ron Petersen was saddled with the loss. Ochoa pitched the final two innings for Team Blue.

The rain stayed away, allowing the TOTS to complete two games this week. The TOTS hope to get three games in next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, weather permitting.

Sweeping the floor over you...

Arizona Diamonbacks



The Arizona Diamondbacks (48-66) are on a modest four-game winning streak, including three in a row over the New York Mets. Arizona moves on to Boston for a three-game series with the Red Sox.

Let's don't get too excited.

Davis, Steele tie for the most hits by a TOT in July

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ted Davis and Mike Steele tied for the most hits in July with 14 apiece. Davis went 14 for 23 in nine games, while Steele went 14 for 21 in seven games. Steele batted .667 for the month, while Davis ended up at .609 and also led the TOTS with 10 RBI.

The TOTS hit four home runs in July. Hitting the ball out of the park were Tim Tolson and newcomers John Mathews, Reed Palmer and Phil Sallee.

Other top hitters for the month included Pete Peters (12 for 18, .667 average in seven games), Doc Thompson (10 for 16, .625  average in five games), Lloyd Barzell (12 for 25, .480 average in nine games) and Tolson (11 for 17, .647 average in seven games).

Finally, TOTS back in action

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The TOTS are back in action.


After two straight weeks of cancellations due to field conditions, the TOTS returned to action today at Udall Park with Team Blue picking up a 7-3 win over Team White.

Thunder Tim Tolson continued his hot hitting this summer with a 2 for 3 performance and three RBI for Team Blue, while Joe Opocensky drilled a single and double and knocked in one of three runs for Team White.

It was hot and muggy on the field of play, but the rain finally stayed away. Rain is once again in the forecast for Wednesday and Friday, but the TOTS are hoping the rain clouds stay away from Udall Park.

The players were a little rusty today. It was the first game of the month for the TOTS as right-hander Lloyd Barzell went the distance for Team Blue to notch the pitching victory, while right-hander Pete Maldonado was saddled with the loss.

Team White tried to rally in the last of the sixth, after a single from Doc Thompson and a double from Opocensky loaded the bases, but with two outs, Brian Reilly hit a hard hit ball to short, resulting in a force out and the final out of the game.

Photo: Joe Opocensky goes 2 for 3 and drives in a run for Team White today in a losing cause.

A-Rod retires and will stay put as a Yankee advisor

Alex Rodriguez will retire Friday and stay put with the New York Yankees as an advisor.

Rodriguez is fourth on the all-time career home runs list with 696 -- behind Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).

Lowly Diamondbacks take 2 of 3 from Brewers

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (45-66) take 2 of 3 from the Milwaukee Brewers, including a 9-3 win today in the series' finale at Chase Field. Jake Lamb and Phil Gosselin hit homers for the Diamondbacks. Arizona has now won 19 games at home this season and have lost 39.

Diamondbacks swept by Nationals

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (43-65) were no match for the Washington Nationals at Chase Field this week, losing all three games -- including the 8-3 loss today as former Diamondback Max Scherzer (12-6) silences the Diamondbacks, allowing four hits and three runs in eight innings of work.

Next up: The Milwaukee Brewers are in town for a three game series.

Diamondbacks 43-63 after home loss to Nationals

Arizona Diamondbacks


The high-flying Washington Nationals visited Chase Field last night.

The result a 14-1 win for Stephen Strasburg (15-1) and another victory for the Nationals (62-44), the NL East leader.

Talk about two teams heading in opposite directions. Arizona falls to 43-63 and still has two games remaining with the Nationals. Paul Goldschmidt went 0 for 3 last night, but knocked in the only run for the Diamondbacks.