Escala leads Team Blue to 6-4 TOTS' win

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Ernesto "Doc" Escala, a Tucson MSBL Hall of Famer, is now a hard-throwing right-hander for the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers.

Escala took the mound again today for Team Blue and allowed 10 hits, struck out two and walked six en route to a 6-4 win over Team White this morning at Udall Park.

About the only person Escala had trouble with was 86-year-old Joe Aparicio, who walked three times and struck out once, the final strike out came in the last inning when Escala needed three quick outs to preserve the win. When talking about the 5-1 Aparicio, Escala said. "That guy (Aparicio) is hard to pitch to."

In the first inning, Team White jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to an RBI-single from Reed Palmer and Brack Whitaker knocked in a run on a fielder's choice play. In the top of third, Team Blue evened matters with a two-run inning of their own with a walk to Ken Nebesny, a base hit from John Mathews and a two-run single from Tim Tolson.

After scoring a run in the fourth and another in the fifth, Team White took the field in the sixth with a 4-3 lead, but Team Blue put together a three-run rally to take the lead for good, thanks to Escala who knocked in two of the three runs with a single to center.

In the bottom of the sixth, the final at bat for Team White, Escala finally snuck a 2-2 pitch by Aparicio for the first out, but then walked Pigpen Price on four pitches and gave up a single to Bobby Long. That put the tying runs on base and a possible game-winner with the hard-hitting and pull hitting David Byars at the plate. Byars, who had already reached base four times, despite a foot injury, hit a shot to third for a game-ending double play.

Tolson ended up 4 for 4 on the day with two RBI, while Escala helped his own cause with a 3 for 4 day and three runs batted in. Ron Ryan, who went 2 for 4, also knocked in a run for the winners.

Joe Opocensky started the game for Team White and was saddled with the loss, but at the plate went 4 for 4 and scored twice, while Palmer went 3 for 3 and drove in three of the four runs.

The TOTS return to action on Wednesday at Udall Park. Batting practice and warmups at 9 a.m. Game time: 10 a.m.

Photos: Ernesto "Doc" Escala gets the pitching victory at Udall today.