A's taking championship form

Nissen takes helm and A's ship keeps cruising ahead while manager takes cruise

REBL A's manager Ryan Metcalfe may have a hard time justifying his salary in next season's negotiations. Not only is the former batting champ not hitting this season -- due to injury -- but his A's won a pair of games while he was vacationing with his girlfriend.

The other A's proved their priorities are in order and they can win close games without their skipper and No. 2 manager Brodie Nissen taking command. The A's squeaked by the Silversox 10-3 and bashed the Brewers 15-5 in a pair of games that resembled the 2006 season, starting close through four or five innings before a late surge sealed the victory.

The A's were tied 3-3 with the Silversox through 5 innings before super sub Roland Belcher placed a bloop single between the Silversox defense to open the inning. Clint Yeager followed with a fielder's choice to spare Belcher from running the bases and Yeager promptly stole second and third -- should a defense ever go after the trail runner? maybe this time they should have. Shawn Purcell followed with an RBI single to put the A's ahead to stay.

The A's took the pressure off Purcell with a 4-run 7th, but Purcell wasn't feeling any pressure nor was he letting up on the Silversox. He struck out two batters in every inning to give him an REBL leading 18 strikeouts in the game and keep him atop the REBL in strikeouts.

"They are still a good team, but Shawn had dominant stuff," Nissen said of the Silversox who were once the A's rival for the AL crown. "Someone got 18 strikeouts the week before and he wanted to get it too. We were going to take him out after 7, but with 14 already, we had to leave him in there."

The big blow in the seventh was a 2-run homer by Billy Dodson, who enjoyed the brief return to metal bats against the foes of the new over-35 Continental League.

Purcell was also one of 4 A's to collect 2 hits and one of 4 to get a double and and RBI. Yeager also doubled and Kevin Metcalfe and Rene Torres also had hits.

The A's had a harder time finding the home dugout than home plate in a 15-5 victory over the Brewers the following weekend. The A's started the game with 8 players and only one pitcher, Billy Dodson, who carried the A's through the shorthanded storm with 4 gritty innings and also came through on offense with a 4-for-5 with 3 runs and 2 RBI.

The game was tied 4-4 in the third when the A's busted the game wide open with a 9-run bottom of the third. Clint Yeager led off with a single, Nissen walked and Dodson followed with an RBI single. Mike Mastro' then cleared the bases with a 3-run homer to make the lead 8-4. Mastro also tripled to finish 2-for-3 with 4 RBI.

"It was your typical ugly game with us dong our usual thing pulling away with our offense," Nissen said. "We scored 9 in that inning and that really put them away."

Fellow former Novato Knick Shane Francisco went 3-for-4 with a double. Matt Wolfe also carried a big stick with two hits.  Purcell struck out 8 in 3 innings of relief and had 2 hits.

Shawn Purcell struck out 18 Silversox to tie an REBL season record for a game.

Shawn Purcell hit the go-ahead single in the 6th inning against the Silversox, breaking a 3-3 tie.

Mike Mastro's 3-run homer was part of a 9-run fourth inning the sunk the Brewers.

Purcell - G11MVP

Mastro' - G12MVP