Nissen drives home game winning run

A's rally from 4-1 deficit with 2 runs in 7th and 9th in 5-4 win over rival Titans

In a game loaded with REBL All-Stars, it was the one who was snubbed that made the loudest statement. Brodie Nissen's two-run single in the bottom of the ninth turned a possible defeat into a 5-4 comeback victory for the A's over the rival Titans.

Nissen finished in the honorable mention category for the second straight year in a polling of his peers, but he proved to be the most valuable player Sunday with his clutch two-run single in the ninth in a productive 2-for-4, 3-RBI game.

The A's trailed 4-1 after seven innings and made another comeback that has become common, but never underappreciated by the A's. Ryan Metcalfe worked for a walk to leadoff of a two-run seventh, but popped up with the winning and tying runs on base to end a rally in the eighth. Nissen picked up the slack like he had done years before.

"I knew when Brodie got up there something good would happen," said Roland Belcher, who is new to the A's but not Nissen's heroics.

Belcher was on the St. Mary's Slugfest softball team when Nissen facing a similar two-run deficit in the final inning, hit a game-winning, two-out, two-run homer in the playoffs. This time, the hit wasn't quite as dramatic through few could argue the victory was a meaningful.

The A's and Titans were tied atop the REBL AL standings with one loss and last time the A's rallied with three runs in the ninth only to lose in the 10th. This time the rally would not fall short. Billy Dodson led off the ninth with a solid single to center and Mike Mastro' walked. Jon Breidinger, followed with a clean single, but Dodson paused making sure the ball fell and conservatively waited at third after getting thrown out at the plate in the seventh. His patience paid off when Nissen drove a single up the middle sending the tying and winning run home.

The A's made a similar rally in the seventh, finally doming some damage against John Bulleri, who faced the minimum over five straight innings after the A's scratched out a run in the first on a Clint Yeager single, a Metcalfe sacrifice and a grounder by Dodson. After Metcalfe's leadoff walk, Dodson singled and Mastro loaded the bases taking a fastball in his back. Breidinger singled to right to score one run, but Dodson made the first out of the inning at home getting thrown out at the plate. Nissen drove home a run with ground out, but the A's still trailed 4-3.

The strong pitching of Kevin Kennedy and Jon Breidinger kept the A's in the game. Kennedy was uncharacteristically wild in the first two innings three hit batsman and two walks aiding the Titans, who scored twice in the second with a double by John Holmes sparking the rally. Kennedy managed to get out of a bases-loaded jam of his own making with minimal damage and  by facing one batter over the minimum during the next four innings. He might have had a smooth seventh as well, but a rare error by Mastro' opened the door for the Titans who took a 4-1 lead on an RBI single by John Fuslier. Breidinger came on to hold the Titans scoreless in the final two innings to pick up the win in relief.

The tight season series split bodes well for an interesting playoff rematch should these teams meet again. The Silver Sox and Giants, the A's next two foes will have a say in how the top four seeds bear out.

Brodie Nissen ripped a game-winning single up the middle with the bases loaded and none out in the ninth to give he A's a 5-4 win over the Titans. Nissen drove in two runs on the play bringing back memories of a similar heroic hit many years ago.

Clint Yeager takes a need breather. He singled twice and scored one run for himself and was also a key courtesy runner for Metcalfe and Mastro'.

Jon Breidinger smiles after hitting a key single in the A's ninth-inning rally. Breidinger also picked up the win with two scoreless innings on the mound.

Nissen- MVP