Markkanen leads Wildcats to win over Texas Southern

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The 16-ranked Arizona Wildcats led by freshman Lauri Markkanen with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and two blocks rolled to a 85-63 win over Texas Southern tonight at McKale.

Arizona had little trouble with the Tigers, although the Texas team did manage to hit 8 of 25 three-pointers, while Arizona finished 8 of 14 from three-point land -- five of those from Markkanen.

The Wildcats ended up with five players in double figures. Two freshmen, Kobi Simmons and Rawle Alkins, scored 15 and 14 points, respectively. Kadeem Allen added 14 points and Dusan Ristic chipped in 10 as Arizona shot 63.2 percent from the field, while hitting 57.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Arizona improves to 6-1.

Arizona falls to No. 16 in AP Basketball Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Arizona dropped to No. 16 in the latest AP Basketball Poll.

The Wildcats (5-1) will try to climb their way back into the top ten this week with games against Texas Southern and 8th-ranked Gonzaga.

Go Wildcats!

Wildcats go out with a bang at Arizona Stadium

Arizona Wildcats Football

The Wildcats finished their football season at Arizona Stadium tonight with a bang, or better yet an explosion!

Arizona captures the Territorial Cup with a 56-35 victory over rival Arizona State as the Wildcats set a school record with 511 yards rushing in the process. Samajie Grant ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns to lead Arizona over a stunned Sun Devil team.

Brandon Dawkins started things off on the third play of the game as he rambled 71 yards for a touchdown. The Arizona quarterback finished the night with 183 yards rushing and two scores. Zach Green put in his two cents worth with 126 yards rushing and two scores.

Arizona State was knocked out of contention for a postseason bowl game with the loss. The Sun Devils finish the season with an overall record of 5-7 and 2-7 in the Pac-12 Conference.

Arizona finishes the season with a 3-9 overall record and a 1-8 record in Pac-12 play.

Markkanen targeted, Wildcats fall 69-65 to Butler

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

An Editorial

Butler withstood a furious comeback in the second half by the Arizona Wildcats and held on for a 69-65 win to capture the Continental Tire Invitational championship in Las Vegas tonight.

Lauri Markkanen fouled out with three minutes remaining in the game. To say he might have been targeted by the officials may be an understatement. Instead of letting the game be decided by two very good basketball teams on the court at Orleans Arena, the whistle blew one too many times against the Wildcats' 7-foot freshman center.

Markkanen left the game with 15 points and five rebounds and watched from the bench as Kobi Simmons tossed in 14 points -- all in the second half, to lead the Wildcats back from a nine-point deficit. A 15-2 run by the Wildcats and a couple of ESPN highlight dunks from Simmons had the Arizona fans in attendance cheering. But the cheers turned to boos when Markkanen was hit with a charging call -- his fifth foul.

To be honest, it was two first half fouls on Markkanen, then a third, and a fourth midway through the second half that got my goat. Markkanen should have been on the court in the final three minutes to have a chance to decide the outcome of the game, right along with his teammates and right along with the Butler players as well.

I'll get over it. Enough ranting from a diehard Wildcat fan.

Arizona falls to 5-1, while Butler improves to 6-0. The Wildcats will take a hit in the rankings. Don't get me started with the East Coast bias thing.

I'm taking a deep breath and turning the channel on my Vizio. I understand there's an upset in the making at Arizona Stadium.

Go, Wildcats! The Territorial Cup score: Arizona  56  Arizona State 35!

8th-ranked Wildcats reach final in Las Vegas tourney

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The 8th-ranked Arizona Wildcats had a fight on their hands for 40 minutes against a hot-shooting team from Santa Clara but held on for a 69-61 win tonight at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas to advance to the final of the Continental Tire Invitational on Friday against Butler.

The two big men for the Wildcats Lauri Markkanen and Dusan Ristic combined for 28 points and 13 rebounds, while getting plenty of help from freshman Kobi Simmons, who pumped in 14 points, hitting 5 of 7 from the field -- including 3 of 3 from three-point land.

Markkanen hit 4 of 11 field goals, 2 of 6 three-pointers, while Ristic canned 6 of 11 field goals. Markkanen hauled in nine rebounds, Ristic four. Arizona out rebounded Santa Clara, 37-26.

Game time for the tourney final is 8:30 p.m.

Arizona improves to 5-0 and will be matched up with the Butler Bulldogs in the final, a team with a matching 5-0 record.

Way to go, Wildcats.

Big John, Pigpen leads Team White to 6-2 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Big John Mathews and Pigpen Price led Team White to a 6-2 win today over Team Blue at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game. Mathews went 4 for 4 with two RBI and Price had three hits and scored three runs.

Team Blue lead-off batter, Brian Reilly, doubled to start the game and scored a run, but Team White's  starting pitcher, Lloyd Barzell,  held Team Blue in check the rest of the way to pick up the win.

Barzell was helped out by some outstanding plays by the Team White defense -- including three unassisted putouts at first base by 91-year Floyd Lance. Mathews made the play of the day when he caught a long fly ball at the warning track in deep center field and doubled up the base runner at second base to snuff out a Team Blue rally.

The TOTS will take Friday off and return to Udall Park for games on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Photo: Big John Mathews went 4 for 4 today for Team White.

Tucson Aces pound Rattlers 14-7 in a cross-town 60-and-over game

60-and-over Tucson Aces

Pete Maldonado pitched a complete game in his first start with the Tucson Aces en route to a 14-7 win over the Arizona Rattlers today at Mission Manor.

Maldonado struck out three and walked only two batters as he frustrated the Rattlers with his off-speed pitches.

The Rattlers had 10 hits, while the Aces banged out 17 hits -- including a double and a triple by Tim Tolson and another double by John Mathews. All eleven players who received playing time for the Aces hit safely.

Ernie Hernandez pitched the first four innings for the Rattlers and was saddled with the loss. George Gafner came on in relief of Hernandez in the fifth and the Aces greeted him with a five-run inning to put the game away.

Photo: the crafty right-hander, Pete Maldonado.

PGC, Markkanen lead 8th-ranked Wildcats to 4th win

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Parker Jackson-Cartwright scored 15 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed five rebounds, while Lauri Markkanen picked up his first double-double as a Wildcat as Arizona finally wore down Northern Colorado tonight at McKale with a 71-55 non-conference win.

Markkanen continues to get it done with a team-high 17 points and 13 rebounds as 8th-ranked Arizona improves to 4-0 on the season.

The Wildcats shot poorly in the first half and found themselves down by 31-30, but they finally got it going in the second half and outscored Northern Colorado, 41-24.

Congrats to the Arizona Wildcats, ranked 8th in this week's AP Basketball Poll

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Congrats to the Arizona Wildcats. They moved from No. 10  to No. 8 this week in the AP Basketball Poll.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Beavers bury Wildcats, one game left

Arizona Wildcats Football


Another week of football for the Arizona Wildcats. The result: another loss. This time up in Corvallis by a score of 42-17.

One more to go at home against the dreaded Arizona State Sun Devils. If you go, kickoff is 7:30 on Friday night at Arizona Stadium. If you don't go, well you can check out ESPN. Yes, this one will make national TV.

Why? I doubt Wildcat fans will bring down the goal posts, win or lose.

Arizona State is the seventh best team in the Pac-12 with a 2-6 conference record and a 5-6 overall record. Our Wildcats (2-9 overall, 0-8 in the conference) will battle to the end in hopes of a win over their in-state rival and a chance to gain their first Pac-12 victory.

After that, a 7-footer from Finland will lead us out of our doldrums as we turn to basketball and standing room only at McKale Center.

Arizona Wildcats roll over Sacred Heart, 95-65

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Arizona improves to 3-0 with a 95-65 win over Sacred Heart tonight at McKale.

The Wildcats finished the game with six players in double figures -- including 54 points from a trio of freshmen -- Lauri Markkanen with 22 points, Rawle Alkins with 18 and Kobi Simmons with 14.

Add to the that a 15 rebounds, 13-point night from Dusan Ristic, 11 points from Parker Jackson-Cartwright and 10 points from Chance Comanche. Keanu Pinter chipped in six points.

Arizona led by 30 points for most of the game. The real good news: Kadeem Allen saw action and scored one point and it shouldn't be long before he's back at 100 per cent.

Way to go, Wildcats!

Next up: Northern Colorado at McKale on Monday night.

Team Blue hangs on for 7-4 win at Udall

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over-baseball

It was a another close game at Udall Park today as Team Blue held on for a 7-4 win over Team White in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

John Mathews and Pigpen Price drove in four of the seven runs for Team Blue and right-hander Bob Daliege survived a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the seventh inning to pick up the win.

Daliege started and went the distance for Team Blue. In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Daliege coaxed the hard-hitting Jesse Ochoa into a high popup in front of the mound. Daliege camped under the ball and made the catch to end the game.

"I hate when that happens," said a disappointed Ochoa.

As for Daliege, he's well aware of how hard it is for a 60-and-over baseball player to catch "major League" fly balls. It can be an adventure. "It was up there," said Daliege. "I didn't want to miss that one."

As for the big hit of the day, the honor goes to 86-year-old Billy Heiny. Heiny, the second oldest player on the TOTS, hit a fastball off Team White's Lloyd Barzell and squeezed it through the infield, between third and short.

The TOTS will be back in action, weather-permitting on Monday. Game time is slated for 10 a.m.

Photo: John Mathews went 2 for 3 and a walk for Team Blue today and drove in two runs.

A walk-off win at Udall for Team White

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

In baseball, getting the final out can be tough at times.

And so it goes with the TOTS as well.

Today at Udall, Team Blue lefty Dennis Crowley returned to the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning -- needing just three outs to preserve a win.

Crowley's teammates had just given him a two-run lead in the top of the inning. Up 10-8, Crowley faced the bottom of Team White's batting order. Crowley struck out the first batter and was two outs away from a win, but then trouble struck as rookie David Byars reached on an error and the next two batters hit safely to load the bases.

If Crowley had sailed through the bottom of the ninth, he would  have avoided the top two left-handed power hitters in Team White's lineup. Instead, he faced Tim Tolson, who drilled a shot to center. Two runs scored and the game was tied. That brought up Reed Palmer, who laced a single down the right field line, knocking in the game-winner for an 11-10 win for Team White.

Right-hander Pete Maldonado pitched all seven innings for Team White and picked up the win, while Crowley was saddled with the hard-luck loss.

The TOTS will be back in action on Friday at Udall Park. Game time 10 a.m.

45 fouls called in 40 minutes during Arizona's win over CSU Bakersfield

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


Freshman Lauri Markkanen scored 26 points and hauled in eight rebounds to lead 10th-ranked Arizona to a 78-66 win over CSU Bakersfield tonight at McKale Center.

Forty-five fouls were called in 40 minutes of action. With Kadeem Allen out with an injury, the Wildcats were back to a seven-man rotation. Four players -- Rawle Alkins, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Keanu Pinter and Simmons finished the game with four fouls apiece.

Alkins hit four of six from three-point land and finished with 15 points, while Simmons added 13 points.

To the Wildcats credit all four players were still on the court at the buzzer.

Nothing is ever easy for our Wildcats.

Arizona improves to 2-0 and faces Sacred Heart at McKale on Friday.

Palmer knocks in 9 runs in 17-0 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Reed Palmer, 60, hit two grand-slam home runs and drove in a total of nine runs today at Udall Park as Team White demolished Team Blue, 17-0, in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

To say Palmer is on a hot streak at the plate is understated things a bit. Last month, the 6-4, left-handed power hitter knocked in 15 runs, and here we are just six games into the month of November and he's already surpassed his October runs-batted-in total. Palmer hit a grand slam homer last Wednesday and now has three for the month. He went 4 for 4 today and played error less ball at shortstop.

According to 91-year-old Floyd Lance, who keeps the daily, monthly and yearly stats for the TOTS, today was a record-setting performance.  "That has to be a record, two grand slams in one game and three in one month. That's unheard of."

It's been decades since the 48-year-old organization has had such a prolific power hitter. The TOTS' defenders -- both in the infield and the outfield -- have tried every shift imaginable to keep the "young gun" off the bases, but to no avail.  If he isn't sending the ball over the fence, he's unleashing liners just inside the first base line or drilling doubles to the gap in right-center field.

Team White scored in every inning today, except for the second and third. In the second inning, Team Blue recorded a triple play and in the third they kept Team White from scoring, thanks to an inning-ending double play. The first, fourth, fifth and sixth belonged to Team White and specifically, Mr. Palmer.

In a side note, it's been a while since the TOTS have recorded a triple play. It's hard enough to get one out in a 60-and-over baseball game, much less a triple play. With runners on first and second, Joe "say it ain't so, Joe" Aparicio hit a line drive to Team Blue first baseman Jesse Ochoa, who threw to shortstop Tim Tolson to double up Dick Ducklow, who couldn't get back to second base. Then, Tolson tagged Leon Glasshoffer, who was caught in "no man's land" between first and second.

As for the 82-year-old Aparicio, his teammates in the dugout are ready to change his nickname. The nickname Aparcio has owned over the years is a bit too long. His new moniker: Joe "Tres" Aparicio, in honor of his ability to hit into triple plays.

Way to go, Mr. Palmer. As for Joe. Say it ain't so, Joe!

Photos: (top) Reed Palmer, (bottom) Joe "Tres" Aparicio

Another laugher, but the Arizona fans are not laughing

Arizona Wildcats Football


The announced crowd at Arizona Stadium last night: 41,068.

I demand a recount. Half the nation wants a recount for one thing or another, why not check the real numbers of the Arizona fans who actual showed up at Arizona Stadium for another laugher -- Colorado  49  Arizona  24.

Arizona falls to 2-8 overall and 0-7 in the Pac 12 Conference. The only bright spot last night came from the Wildcats' new running back Samaji Grant. The former wide receiver for the Wildcats scored two touchdowns and rambled for 113 yards.

Most dictionaries defines the word laugher as a noun, one who laughs or a sporting event where one team wins by so much the score seems absurd. Paraphrasing a little, but you get the idea.

Tough season. What's left? Two games -- one at Oregon State next week and the finale back home, the following week, against Arizona State. Two chances for the Wildcats to avoid posting a win less season in the conference.

GRANTed the Wildcats are giving there all.

Allen lay-in gives Arizona a heart-stopping win over Michigan State

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Armed Forces Classic


Kadeem Allen dribbled the length of the court and scored on a lay-in with 1.3 seconds left in the game to give 10th-ranked Arizona a heart-stopping 65-63 win over 12th-ranked Michigan State tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

I'm a diehard Arizona Wildcat fan and I'm not sure my heart can handle another basketball season. We're just one official game into the 2016-17 season.  I've already run the gambit in emotions -- from the sadness I felt when the Wildcats fell behind 17-2 against the Spartans to the final moments when Allen banked in the game winning shot to give Arizona a victory at the Armed Forces Classic.

All I can say is, "take a deep breath Arizona fans and prepare for Game 2 on Tuesday night at McKale Center against Cal State-Bakersfield."

When all was said and done, freshman Kobi Simmons came off the bench to pour in 18 points, while another freshman, Lauri Markkanen, tossed in 13 points to lead the Wildcats to their first non-conference win of the season. Add to that, another 10 points from Allen, who hit just 3 of 11 from the field, but more importantly, took the team on his shoulders and banked the final shot to make me a happy camper.

Coach Sean Miller has a lot of work to do to mold this young unit of Wildcats into a contender for a Pac-12 title and another visit to the NCAA Tournament. My goodness, this is November 11, 2016.

Go, Wildcats!

Arizona basketball just a few hours away

Arizona Wildcats Basketball

The Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the site of the Arizona Wildcats' season opener. In a little over two hours, Arizona will square of with Tom Izzo and Michigan State.

Arizona is ranked 10th and Michigan State is ranked 12th in the preseason AP Poll, but following the tip-off at 5 pm. (Arizona time) we will soon know how Sean Miller decides to deploy his troops -- all eight of them as Chance Comanche is cleared for play and no longer on suspension. An eight-man rotation and a handful of walk-ons to see action -- if called upon -- will be tested tonight as Miller shuffles the deck and unleashes his 2016-17 Wildcat basketball team.

Go get 'em, Arizona!

Boyd, Ochoa combine for 8 RBI in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Tim Boyd and Jesse Ochoa, a couple of hard-hitting 60-somethings, knocked in a combined eight runs for Team Blue today as Team White fell victim to the onslaught and lost 12-8 in a 60-and-over baseball game at Udall Park.

Boyd, who was also the winning pitcher, went 3 for 5, while Ochoa went 2 for 5 -- including a booming single as he burned Team White's speedy centerfielder Dennis Crowley with a 300-ft. blast. Ochoa's shot went over the head of Crowley and the ball banged against the fence. Crowley, arguably the TOTS' most talented outfielder, got the ball back in quickly and held Ochoa to a single. Both Boyd and Ochoa knocked in four runs apiece today.

Right-hander Reed Palmer pitched all seven innings for Team White and was saddled with the hard-luck loss.

The TOTS will be back in action on Monday at Udall. Game time 10 a.m.

Team White beats Team Blue, 13-8

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Despite a grand slam home run in the fifth inning by Team Blue's Reed Palmer, Team White held on for a 13-8 win today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

With the win blowing out, Palmer's blast caught the jet stream and sailed into the tall trees beyond the right field fence. It was the first home run this month by a TOTS' player.

Lefty Dennis Crowley pitched all seven innings for Team White and picked up the win, while Arnie White took the loss. Crowley helped his cause with a 4 for 4 day and also scored three times. Team White's Jesse Ochoa went 2 for 3 and a walk, while knocking in three runs.

It was a windy day at the ball park with gusts up to 21 mph. The wind is expected to subside on Friday a bit as the TOTS are scheduled to play their dress out, birthday game at Udall Park. The TOTS game on Friday will have an early start time of 9:30 a.m.

Barzell, Peters, Palmer top hitters for TOTS in October

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

With many of the Tucson Old Timers out of town in October, participating in the MSBL World Series, two players -- Billy Heiny and Reed Palmer -- stuck around and played in 10 games for the TOTS.

Heiny, 86, led all the 80-somethings with five hits in 23 trips to the plate -- a .217 average. Heiny also walked 11 times and added a sacrifice bunt to his stats. As for Reed, 60, the TOTS' new power hitter, he went 16 for 31 with eight doubles and the club lead in RBI with 15. Reed's .516 batting average was good enough for fourth among all the averages on the TOTS. Lloyd Barzell led the way in hits with 17 in 24 at bats, a hefty .708 batting average, to go along with 13 runs scored -- the most runs by a TOT for the month.

Other top hitters (with 15 or more hits), include Tim Tolson (15 for 27, a .556 average), Pete Peters (16 for 30, a .533 average) and Roger Beebe (15 for 30, a .500 average).

Photo: Reed Palmer (top photo) connecting on one of his eight doubles during the month of October. Palmer also led the TOTS in RBI for the month with 15. (bottom photo) Billy Heiny, at the plate, led all the 80-and-over somethings in October with a .217 average.

77-minute game a dandy

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Most baseball games these days last three to four hours.

Today at Udall, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers completed a seven-inning game at Udall Park in 77 minutes. It was a pitching duel from the get go as Team White's Lloyd Barzell and Team Blue's Pete Maldonado breezed through 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball.

In the end, a bobble at second base in the bottom of the seventh inning led to a 1-0 victory for Team White. With the bases loaded, Tim Boyd scored from third on a hard hit ball off the bat of Jesse Ochoa when the ball bounced away from 86-year-old second baseman Billy Heiny.

Heiny, the oldest player on the field, tried his best to glove the ball and start a double play, but the ball  trickled away from the "ole second-sacker" and the fleet-footed Boyd scampered home with the only run of the game.

Both teams played well defensively and it was a tough loss for Maldonado and Team Blue. As for Heiny, he shook his head and commented, "I blew it."

Heiny's teammates tried to console Heiny in the dugout after the game, many of them patted him on the back. After all, Heiny had just given his best effort on the field of play at the age of 86. Heiny is a trooper. He seldom misses a game.

And you can bet Billy will be back at Udall on Wednesday and try it again. Because that's what all the players on the TOTS do. They show up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and play the game of baseball. It makes no difference what the final score happens to be or which player boots the ball and makes an error.

The TOTS vary in age from 60 to 91. Chances are the players will lose track in the next 48 hours of which team won the game, much less remember who knocked in the winning run or made the error.

What they'll remember, though, is the fact there's an 86-year-old teammate on the field doing his level best to make the play.

Way to go, Billy! We'll see you on Wednesday.

Photo: Billy Heiny

Basketball season awaits the "Magnificent Seven"

Arizona Wildcats Basketball


The Arizona Wildcats open the 2016-17 basketball season Friday in Honolulu with seven scholarship players.

I'll give them a name: The Magnificent Seven.

They will have to be magnificent if the Wildcats expect to roll through the non-conference schedule, starting with Michigan State,  followed by a grueling Pac-12 Conference schedule, followed by a Pac-12 Tournament and lastly, the pressure cooker of them all -- the  NCAA tournament. If Arizona can make it through that maze and still be standing, then they will be truly magnificent.

The loss of Ray Smith to injury, Allonzo Trier to (whatever?) and Chance Comanche (grades) will definitely put a hamper on things. If there's a chance for Chance to come back, that will help.  Don't look for Trier to be back...not this year...maybe not ever. The next time we see Trier on the court, he'll probably be wearing a NBA uniform.

The "magnificent seven" are talented, don't get me wrong. Any further injuries, any foul problems at all, more issues with "grades" or whatever black cloud decides to continue to follow our Wildcats, will not be good for this team. I'm praying for the rotating seven -- Lauri Markkanan, Dusan Ristic, Kadeem Allen, Kobi Simmons, Kneau Pinder, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Rawle Alkins -- to hang tough and get it done.

With two exhibition games in the books, the season begins on Friday.

Go, Wildcats!

"I really hate to post the score" -- a diehard Wildcat fan

Arizona Wildcats Football


"I really hate to post the score" -- a diehard Wildcat fan.

But, here goes.

Washington State   69  Arizona  7


The Arizona Wildcats lose in Pullman today.

Arizona falls to 2-7 overall and 0-6 in the Pac-12 Conference.

That's six losses in a row for my Wildcats.

Up next: Colorado at home next Saturday.

I feel sorry for the boys.

Cubs win! Cubs win!

MLB 2016 World Series

Ben Zobrist and former Arizona Diamondback Miguel Montero knocked in runs in the top of the 10th inning and the Chicago Cubs went on to beat the Indians 8-7 in Cleveland tonight to win Game 7 and capture the World Series -- the first Fall Classic title for the organization since 1908.

Way to go, Miguel!  We sure miss you.

The Cubs led 5-1, found themselves tied 6-6 in the eighth and won the game after a short rain delay in a wild and crazy extra inning, thanks to the key hits from Zobrist and Montero.

Despite giving up two runs in the eighth, hard-throwing reliever Aroldis Chapman gets the win. Michael Montgomery pitches to one batter and gets the save. The final out: a 5-3 putout.

Great series. Way to go, Cubs!

4-run 7th inning lifts Team Blue to 5-4 win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Alan Rasmussen beat out a bunt to start the top of the seventh inning and Team Blue put together a four-run rally to come from behind and beat Team White 5-4 today at Udall Park in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Team White held the lead all the way to the final inning, thanks in part to singles in the bottom of the first by Dennis Crowley and Lloyd Barzell. Both runners scored to give Team White a 2-0 lead.

Bob Daliege pitched all seven innings for Team Blue and picked up the win, while Arnie "The Montana Kid" White pitched a complete game for Team White and took the loss.

Team White tried to pull the game out in the bottom of the seventh when Crowley, who went 3 for 3 today, reached base safely along with Barzell. With runners at the corners and two outs, White tried to help his own cause, but he grounded out to shortstop Tim Boyd, who stepped on second for the final out of the game.

The TOTS will back in action on Friday. Game time 10 a.m.

Photos: (top) Alan Rasmussen. His bunt single in the last inning led to a come-from-behind win for Team Blue. (bottom photo) Dennis Crowley. He went 3 for 3 with a walk today for Team White.

Cubs extend World Series to 7th game

MLB 2016 World Series

The Chicago Cubs scored three runs in the first inning -- highlighted by a home run from Kris Bryant, and went on to win Game 6 in Cleveland tonight 9-3 over the Indians to tie the World Series at 3-3.

Before the dust had settled, Addison Russell added a grand slam homer in the third inning and Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run shot in the ninth. Russell, who also doubled, finished the night with six RBI, while Bryant had four hits.

Jake Arrieta goes 5 2/3 and gets the win.

Buckle up! It's time for Game 7.