Team White's Palmer loses shutout bid in the 6th inning, but edges Team Blue, 4-2

Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)

60-and-over baseball

Team White  4  Team Blue  2

Team White's Reed Palmer carried a 4-0 shutout into the bottom of the sixth inning today at Udall Park, but getting those final three outs took a while as Team Blue loaded the bases -- first with a walk, then a hit batter, followed by a single down the third baseline by the hot hitting Ernesto Escala.

Palmer (photo left), who had led 2-0 after three innings of play, picked up a couple of insurance runs -- an RBI- single in the fourth inning from Pigpen Price and and a wild pitch to plate a run in the fifth -- but now had the task of disposing of Larry Abramson to insure the win.

Abramson, the starting pitcher for Team Blue today, promptly singled up the middle to score two runs to cut the lead in half.

Luckily, a couple of force outs and an easy come-backer to Palmer would end the game, but what at one point looked like a shutout in the making turned into a real nail biter in the end.

Because of the heat with an afternoon high expected to reach 104, the game was limited to six innings today.

Escala, who had made the game interesting in the sixth with his single down the line, ended up with two hits on the day and has 10 hits in 12 at bats in June to go along with 10 RBI.

John Mathews had a big day for Team White with a 3 for 3 day. He had a key double, scored twice and knocked in a run. Chuck Sabalos, Team White's catcher, played in his first game this month and went 1 for 1. Sabalos said, after some calculations in his head. "I'm batting 1.000 for the month!"

Abramson was saddled with the hard-luck loss. He struck out three and walked three and allowed three runs. Escala relieved in the top of the fifth and allowed one run, while striking out three and walking one.

Mathews was all smiles after the game today. One of his TOTS' heroes showed up in the dugout during the game. Floyd Lance, with Mathews in left photo, turns 97 in September. The legendary Lance played with the TOTS until his 94th birthday, becoming the oldest member of the TOTS to ever take the field with the organization.

Mathews, 66, calculates he'll have to play another 28 years to have a crack at breaking Lance's longevity record.

Hats off to Mr. Lance and way to go, TOTS!