North Bay A's History

2005 season: A's face ups and downs in .500 season

Eric Brown receives a throw at second as Eric Pennes of the championship Cardinals steals second.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
  WIN LOSS TIE RS RA POINTS
Cardinals 15 1 2 163 69 32-DW
Titans 14 3 1 206 60 29-WC
Silversox 9 7 2 132 103 20-WC
AL Giants 9 7 2 125 131 20-WC
Astros 9 8 1 154 114 19
AL Athletics 9 9 0 160 120 18
Classics 8 8 2 109 102 18
Mets 6 11 1 119 179 13
Red Sox 3 14 1 59 161 7
Opponents A's Player of the Game

2005 SEASON REVIEW

The A's suffered from injuries and inconsistency in 2005, looking strong throughout most of a 7-4 start, but lost 5 of their last 6 games often playing with 9 or fewer players down the stretch. The A's lost their top hitter from 2004, Ryan Haven, for the season due to injury and top rookie Al Rubacabra missed much of the second half with a shoulder injury. With some players on vacation and other hobbled down the stretch the A's weren't the same team.

The A's opened the season well, starting with Billy Dodson 5-for-5 and near cycle in the season opening win over the Mets. Eric Brown looked nearly as dominant as he did in the 2004 playoffs when he held the Astros to four hits in a complete game victory that made the A's 3-1.

The A's followed an error plagued 14-2 loss to the Giants with a total team effort in a 14-4 win over the Red Sox that saw all 12 players in the lineup get a hit.

The A's were 7-4 when they suffered back-to-back loses that put a huge dent in their playoff hopes, falling 10-6 to the Astros in a game which the lead changed hens several times. The 15-13 loss to the Giants was tougher to take with 8 players having the the game tied 12-12 going into the eighth despite a barrage of bloopers between the two-man outfield. The A's were back to 7-7 after a loss to the Classics, but managed on last championship performance.

The A's played with just 8 players against the SilverSox, the multi-time league champs the A's upset in the 2004 championship series, and played some of their best ball of the year in an 8-4 victory. The A's hit ageless ace Larry Hendrickson and took advantage of errors in an 8-run third inning, that included two hits each by Metcalfe, Brown and Dodson. Keith Lederer was the clutch bat, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs including a two-run single in the third. JD Nickelberry had his best pitching performance holding the SilverSox to one run through six innings with three double plays behind him. The SilverSox cut the lead to 9-8 but the A's hung on for the win with Brown picking up the save.

The A's would need to sweep the hot young Titans in a season-ending doubleheader, but ended up getting swept and eliminated from the playoff chasse.
W - 16-2 Mets Bill Dodson 5-for-5, 3B, HR
L - 4-1 Cardinals Brodie Nissen 2-for-3, 2 SB
W - 15-3 Crusher Al Rubacabra 3-for-5, 3RBI, 2 SB
W - 11-6 Astros Eric Brown 9IP 4H 2ER 5k
L - 14-2 Giants JD Nickelberry 2-for-3, 2B
W 14-4 Red Sox Larry Forman 2-for-3, 3RBI, 2B
W 14-7 Classics Blossom, Dodson, Rubacabra 3 hits
L 11-5 SilverSox JD Nickelberry 2-for-2, 2B
W 8-4 Mets Ryan Metcalfe 3-for-5, 2RBI
L 5-3 Cardinals Eric Brown 9IP 5H 1er 6k
W 22-4 Dirt Dogs Dodson 5-for-7 5 runs; Nissen 4-for-5
L 10-6 Astros Ryan Metcalfe 4-for-5
L 15-13 Giants Ryan Metcalfe 3-for-6
L 5-0 Classics Pete Lopez 2-for-4
W 12-8 SilverSox Keith Lederer 3-for-4, 4 RBI
L 8-2 Titans Brodie Nissen 2-for-3, 2RBI, 2B
L 9-5 Titans Al Rubacaba 2-for-3, 2-3B
9-9, Sixth place No Playoffs
INDIVIDUAL HONORS

AL Batting crown: Ryan Metcalfe .500; Brown 3rd (.468)

AL Slugging crown: Al Rubacabra .657; Metcalfe 2nd (650)

Hits: Dodson 1st (31); Metcalfe 2nd (30) Brown 3rd (29)

3B: Rubacabra & Nickelberry tied 1st (3)

RBI: Brown fourth (23)     Runs: Dodson sixth (23)

AL OBC: Metcalfe 2nd .545; Nissen 7th .516
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1