5-run 7th inning leads to 9-7 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team Blue scored five runs with two outs in the top of the seventh inning -- capped off by consecutive RBI-singles from Pigpen Price, Dave Rhoades and Phil Gordon --  for a 9-7 come-from-behind win today over Team White in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Pete Maldonado went the distance for Team Blue and picked up the pitching victory, while Lloyd Barzell was saddled with the tough loss. The game was tied 1-1 after three innings, Team Blue jumped ahead 4-2 after four innings and Team White regained the lead with a five-run fifth.

Once again Reed Palmer, playing for Team Blue, failed in his attempt to tie for the club home run record. Palmer has been stuck on 18 homers for the past two weeks and still needs one more round-tripper to tie DeLon "Doc" Thompson, who holds the single-season record at 19.

The TOTS still have six weeks left in the 2017 season -- still time for Palmer to tie or surpass Thompson. It hasn't been easy for Palmer in recent weeks as the TOTS' pitchers have done their best to keep the ball away from the hard-hitting left-hander --including plenty of intentional walks on numerous occasions.

"He may be pressing a little," says TOTS' manager Pete Peters. "There's still plenty of time."

It would be hard to bet against him," said teammate Pigpen Price, following today's game. "You put one in his wheelhouse and he's going to hit it out."

Besides, Price adds. "He's just a youngster. He's 60 years old and stands 6-feet-5. It's been a while since we've had a guy like Reed join the TOTS."

After all, the fence at Udall Park is just 300-feet away from home plate.

"When he connects, he connects." Price said. "As for the rest of us, we just watch the ball as it sails out of the park and collides with the Cypress trees beyond the fence line."

Palmer and the TOTS will be back in action on Friday at Udall. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photo: Pete Maldonado, today's winning pitcher.