60-and-over Tucson Aces fall to Old Pueblo, 6-4

Old Pueblo 6  Tucson Aces  4

Down 6-2 early, Aces battle back, but come up short at Udall Park

Three hits through 6 innings, Aces rally in 7th with 2 runs and 3 hits

Four unearned runs in the first two innings turned out to be too much for the 60-and-over Tucson Aces to overcome this morning at Udall Park. Down 6-2 in the third inning, the Aces put a stop to the Old Pueblo shenanigans and shut them down the rest of the way as three right-handers -- starter Mike Dawson and relievers Ernesto Escala, along with closer Larry "Wild Thing" Abramson put the clamps on the visitors from the south side. 

Dawson and Ron Ryan singled in the bottom of the seventh and Randy Livingston drilled a two-run double to left-center to close the gap, but with two out, Thunder Tim Tolson hit a towering fly ball to first base for the final out of the game and a 6-4 win for Old Pueblo.

Helping out behind the plate today was umpire Kirk Helms, who is town and visiting his home-run hitting college buddy from old, the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers current career home run leader Reed Palmer.

Palmer also plays for the Aces and bats clean up and normally belts the ball off the fence or over the fence for the Aces, too. But no homers today, instead Palmer set up shop behind the plate as a catcher. He stands 6-6 and his buddy from Lincoln, Nebraska is 6-4.

Certainly a couple human specimens on the ball field today at Udall at the same time.

See photos below: Palmer with the catching gear on and Helms with the umpire gear.

Despite the loss today, the Aces took it in stride -- a rare loss considering the Aces have had Old Pueblo's number in the past. But not today as Rudy Duarte picked up the win on the mound for the south-side club.

The Aces will rejoin the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers tomorrow morning at Udall to close out the weekend. Game time is set for 8:30.

Below is a few more photos from today's 6-4 loss to Old Pueblo.