Bookemdano takes a break

It doesn't happen often, but Bookemdanosports is flying the coop for a week.

Yours truly gets a rare family vacation. We head for Lake Powell and spend the next five days on a houseboat. The weather is supposed to be good...hot in the daytime...cool at night.

Please forgive me as I leave my trusty laptop behind. I expect minimal service with my smart phone. I may find a pocket or two outside the canyons, which will allow me to correspond with the outside world now and then, but for the most part I'm off the grid.

A week without baseball. Who would have thought?

Pigpen

Arizona takes 3-game series from ASU

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Donte Williams drilled a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th inning at Hi Corbett Field last night to give Arizona a 10-9 win and capture the three-game series, 2-1. Arizona improves to 32-21 and will head for Oregon for a three-game series with the Ducks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

With the win last night, the Wildcats grab back the Territorial Cup and now need a sweep of the Ducks to bring their Pac-12 record to an even 15-15. Nick Quintana went 4 for 4 last night and scored the winning run.

Wildcat Update: Arizona wins 2 of 3 at Oregon. They needed a sweep. The Wildcats are out of postseason play and can look forward to 2019.

Dawson, Petersen combine for 8 hits in TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

There were plenty of hits scattered around Udall Park this morning.

Fortunately for Team White, they ended up with a few more dingers than the opposing team as they rolled to a 10-6 win over Team Blue in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Leading the hitting attack for Team Blue were Mike Dawson and Ron Petersen as the duo combined for eight hits and four RBI, while teammates Reed Palmer went 3 for 4 and Ron Ryan had three hits in three official trips to the plate.

Team Blue received four hits from Tim Tolson, two hits and a walk from Jesse Ochoa and a 3 for 3 effort from newcomer Mark Capley.

The TOTS will take a couple of days off and return to action at Udall on Monday.

Diamondbacks win 1 of 3 with the Brewers

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (25-18) lose the three-game series to the Milwaukee Brewers -- losing 7-2 in the opener at Chase Field, bounced back with a 2-1 win on Tuesday and fall today, 8-2.

The Diamondbacks are without the services of not only third baseman Jake Lamb, but now must figure out how to maneuver their way around the loss of their star centerfielder A.J. Pollock.

The Brewers (26-18) leave town happy campers after picking up their 26th win of the season, one win more than the Diamondbacks.

Arizona heads out on a road trip: First up, the New York Mets. The opener set for Friday night at Citi Park.

Update: Lamb returns Friday, just in time for a road trip and a 3-game series with the Mets

4-run top of 7th leads to 11-9 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Another close one at Udall Park.

This time Team Blue plated four runs in the top of the seventh inning this morning and went on to a hard-fought 11-9 win over Team White in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Joe Opocensky (2-1) was going for his third straight win and locked horns with Team Blue's Pete Maldonado. Today, Maldonado picked up the "W" and Opocensky was saddled with the loss.

In the top of the seventh, Lloyd Barzell and Reed Palmer doubled, followed by a single by Doc Thompson as Team White turned a 8-7 deficit into a three-run lead. Team Blue's final run in the inning came from Palmer, who scored from third when Team White's third-baseman Pigpen Price backhanded a smash off the bat of Pete Peters. The throw home was too late and Team White enjoyed a 11-8 advantage.

In the bottom of the seventh, Team Blue scored a run, but with two outs and runners at the corners  Price bounced out to short to end the game.

"I had a chance to be the hero, but I couldn't get the job done," said Price, who went 2 for 4 but failed to get the key hit of the game for Team White.

Still, another competitive game by the 60-and-over TOTS. The TOTS close out the week with a game on Friday at Udall Park. First pitch at 9 a.m.

Photo: Maldonado, today's winning pitcher.

Barzell's inside-the-park homer a game winner

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.

Righthander Lloyd Barzell found himself in a battle with lefty Ron Petersen at Udall Park this morning in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

Both Team Blue and Team White scattered plenty of hits around Udall, but it took an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the seventh inning by Barzell to break a tie and give Team White a 11-10 walk-off win.

Barzell turned on a Petersen fastball and hit a shot down the left field line. The 67-year-old Barzell is one of a hand full of TOTS who is built for speed. Barzell clipped the inside of the bag at first, did the same at second and was on full throttle when he rounded third and headed home. The relay from the outfield was off line and a last ditch throw from third baseman Pigpen Price was wide of the mark and Barzell had his walk-off homer and a pitching victory to boot.

Team White's top hitters included Reed Palmer (3 for 4, 4 RBI), Dave Byars (2 for 3, 3 RBI) and Barzell (3 for 5 and the winning RBI), while Team Blue was led by Ron Ryan (4 for 4), Bob Daliege (3 for 4, 4 RBI) and Petersen with 3 for 4 with 3 doubles and 2 runs-batted-in.

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

Photo: Barzell

Nationals take 4 from Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Washington Nationals (24-18) beat the Diamondbacks 6-4 at Chase Field tonight. Arizona has lost five straight, including four games to the Nationals. The Diamondbacks no longer own the best record in the National League as the surprising Atlanta Braves (24-15) take over the honor.

Arizona (24-16) will try to regroup starting tomorrow night when they open a three-game series at Chase Field with the Milwaukee Brewers (24-17). The Diamondbacks are still the top dog in the NL West, while the Braves are in first place in the NL East and the Brewers hold the top spot in the NL Central.

Arizona drops 3 games at Cal

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Arizona drops all three games to the California Golden Bears -- including a 12-11 loss in today's finale in Berkeley. The Wildcats fall to 29-20 on the season and 10-14 in the Pac-12 Conference.

Alfonso Rivas continues to lead the Wildcats in hitting with a .363 average. Rivas leads the team with 70 hits and 50 RBI.

Arizona travels to Sacramento State Monday for a non-conference game. Arizona State will be in town on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for the final Pac-12 games of the season at Hi Corbett.

If you want relief, call the Doc

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team Blue turned to Doc Thompson in the final inning at Udall Park today in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game.

In the top of the inning, Thompson hit a 2-run single to center to give his team a 7-6 lead over Team White.  Lefty Ron Petersen followed with a bloop single to right to add an insurance run and Team White came to bat needing two runs to tie the game and three runs to win the affair outright.

Thompson, a 75-year old hard-throwing right-hander, then closed out the game on the mound. With two out and a run in, Thompson coaxed the steady contact hitter Lloyd Barzell into a pop up to end the game as Team Blue held on for an 8-7 win over Team White.

A competitive old-timers game to say the least.

The play of the day occurred in the fourth inning when 77-year old centerfielder Jerry Hamelin snuffed out a Team White rally. Hamelin went back to the warning track and stared into the bright blue sky and corralled a towering fly ball off the bat of Team White's power hitter Reed Palmer.

Bob Daliege pitched a complete game for Team Blue and was saddled with the tough-luck loss.

Despite the heat this week, the TOTS completed three games as the temperature hovered around the 100-degree mark. The TOTS start their games at 9 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in hopes of finished a two-hour or three-hour game before the temperature hits triple digits.

The TOTS return to Udall on Monday.

Photos: 1) Doc Thompson 2) Jerry Hamelin

Diamondbacks split with the Dodgers

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


Patrick Corbin (4-0) pitched well for five innings, but the Arizona Diamondbacks couldn't get the runs to support his effort and dropped a 6-3 decision to the Dodgers (16-20) yesterday in Los Angeles. Corbin remains at 4-0. Arizona splits the two games with the Dodgers, winning 8-5 on Tuesday.

Arizona (24-12) returns home to face the Washington Nationals (20-18) in a four-game series. Tanner Roark (2-3) against Zack Greinke (3-2) tonight at Chase Field.

NL-leading Diamondbacks improve to 23-11

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks (23-11) take 2 of 3 from the Houston Astros at Chase Field, including a 3-1 win today as Matt Koch (2-0) picked up his second win and A.J. Pollock tripled, singled and knocked in two runs.

Arizona has yet to lose a series this year.

Way to go, Diamondbacks!

Sweep of Bruins gives Wildcats life

Arizona Wildcats Baseball


The recent sweep of the Bruins by Arizona (28-17 overall, 10-11 Pac-12) at Hi Corbett Field gives the Wildcats life as they head into the final stretch of the 2018 season.

Alfonso Rivas leads the Wildcats with a .362 average, which includes 64 hits and 44 RBI.

Nick Quintana is the home run leader with nine.

Next up for the Wildcats: Grand Canyon at home on Tuesday.

Houston rolls into Chase Field for a 3-game series

Arizona Diamondbacks


The Arizona Diamondbacks (21-10) for the first time all year failed to win a series.

Instead, the Diamondbacks split a four-game series with the Dodgers at Chase Field, including a 5-2 loss today. Arizona will try to get back on track tomorrow in the first of a three-game series with the Houston Astros.

Today, Patrick Corbin (4-0) went after his fifth win of the season, He did well, allowing only one earned run in six innings. Unfortunately, the Arizona bullpen couldn't hold off the Dodgers. A four-run eighth inning by LA kept the Diamondbacks from a 10th straight series' win to start the season.

Still, the Diamondbacks own the best record in the National League.

Aces edge Rattlers on Dawson's 2-run walk-off single

60-and-over Tucson Aces

at Udall Park

The Tucson Aces played host to the Arizona Rattlers this morning at Udall Park and they found themselves down 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh.

And then the Aces went to work.

With one out Reed Palmer and John Mathews hit consecutive singles. The Rattlers wanted no part of Thunder Tim Tolson and walked him to load the bases to get to the Aces' newcomer Mike Dawson.

Dawson, who had singled in his previous at bat, did it again with a sharp single to right field and Palmer and Mathews scampered home as the Aces won 8-7 in dramatic fashion.

Right-hander Bob Daliege pitched 6 1/3 strong innings and Palmer came in to get the final two outs in the top of seventh inning. The Aces came to bat needing one to tie and two to win.

A few minutes later, the Aces had their walk-off win.

The Aces today:

Catcher -- Pete Peters

First baseman -- Ron Petersen and Dave Byars

Second base -- Pigpen Price

Third base -- Reed Palmer and Bob Daliege

Shortstop -- Lloyd Barzell

Outfielders -- Tim Tolson, Dennis Crowley, Pete Maldonado, John Mathews and Mike Dawson

The Battery -- Daliege, Palmer (7) and Peters.

Scorekeeper: Brad Vermeer

Palmer's April stats are out of this world

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

The Tucson Old Timers (TOTS) have their own Aaron Judge.

Reed Palmer puts up unbelievable batting statistics every month as he pounds the ball all over Udall Park.

But his April stats are just out of this world. Take a gander at the following.

Palmer played in all 12 games in April. He batted 37 times, scored 21 runs and had 27 hits. His .730 batting average outdistanced runner-up Dave Byars, who had an outstanding month with a 22 for 38 performance, a healthy .579 average.

And that is just the beginning of Palmer's month.

He hit nine home runs and had nine triples to go along with 40 RBI.

He's a man among boys. Or, at least, a kid among old men.

Way to go, Reed!

Lloyd Barzell did beat Reed in one category. Barzell scored 22 runs for the month -- one run ahead of Palmer. However, Barzell got the job done on the mound, finishing April with a 4-1 record to lead all pitchers.

May is off and running for the Tucson Old Timers. The temperature is heating up. And yes, Reed Palmer is on fire.

Photos: 1) Palmer, 2) Barzell, 3) Byars

Opocensky gets rare start, earns TOTS win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Right-hander Joe Opocensky, who plays a mean third base, had a rare start on the mound today and pitched all seven innings. The result: A win for the "Big O" and Team White as he allowed just four runs en route to a 9-4 victory over Team Blue in a 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers game at Udall Park.

Opocensky had plenty of support as four players --  Bob Daliege, Lloyd Barzell, Ron Petersen and the "Big O" himself went 3 for 4. John Mathews also added to the onslaught with two hits in four trips to the plate to go along with three RBI.

Pete Maldonado pitched a complete game as well for Team Blue, but was saddled with the loss. Bill Mishler and Tim Tolson were the big guns for the losing team -- Tolson with a 2 for 3 day and three runs-batted-in, while Mishler batted lead off and went 2 for 4.

The catch of the day: 88-year-old left fielder Billy Heiny, who made a nice catch and kept Team White from a big rally in the fourth inning.

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

Photo: Opocensky, today's winning pitcher.