Bad Chemistry - Not in this A's dugout

A's unite in season opening 9-2 win

The A's opened the 2006 season with plenty of question marks, especially because rain kept the team from having a single practice before opening day, but the old vets and new veterans played together like a hand in a well worn glove.

The A's pitched, hit and defended well in a 9-2 win over the expansion Padres with several players making strong showings. It started with free agent addition Kevin Kennedy throwing 3 shutout innings on the mound, allowing just a bunt single and striking out four to pick up the win.

Kennedy left with a 6-0 lead with the A's picking up two unearned runs in the first without a hit and four more runs in the second. Vet Keith Lederer, who went 3-for-5, picked up where he left off late last season and led off the second with a single and scored on an RBI single by newcomer  Mike Mastro'. The longest tenured A's player Billy Dodson followed with a two-run single that scored rookie Jon Breidinger and vet Rene Torres, who walked. Newcomer Clinton Yeager finished off the rally with an RBI single.

Yeager also had an RBI single in the two-run fourth. Kevin Metcalfe showed that softball can translate to baseball shaking off years of baseball rust and more than 15 years of bad softball habits with a 3-for-4 game, including an RBI single in the fifth that closed the A's scoring.

The A's survived some shaky middle relief from Ryan Metcalfe and Breidinger in the middle innings, but Dodson put the game away with three shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out four just like Kennedy had started the contest.

"It was great to see everyone come together like that so soon," manager Ryan Metcalfe said. "I think every player contributed to the win in some way. Eight of 10 players had at least one hit and the two who didn't walked and scored a run."

The A's made just one error on defense and big plays were made by Mike Mastro' at third, throwing out a runner at home to get out of a bases loaded jam in the second.

"I think you can already tell our defense is going to be much better this year," said coach Brodie Nissen, who threw out one of two runners who attempted to steal.

Billy Dodson picked up the save with three shutout innings of relief. He also had a big two-run single in the second inning. He is the longest tenured A's player joining the team in 2002 and was a key player in the 2004 championship.

 Mike Mastro' charged the slow roller and fired home to A's catcher Brodie Nissen to nail a Padre at the plate.

Dodson - MVP