Venters gets 1st save in 7 years; Rays win in 13

OAKLAND -- For Jonny Venters, getting the final out in Tampa Bay's 1-0 13-inning win over Oakland could be equated to riding a bicycle -- you never forget how. But the veteran left-hander had not ridden that bike in quite some time.
Nevertheless, Venters came through and got the out the Rays needed to preserve the win while notching his first save since Aug. 22, 2011, against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
"It's been awhile," said Venters, who returned to the Majors this season after multiple Tommy John surgeries. "There's always a certain level of excitement when you get that last out. I was glad I was able to get it done. And these guys played awesome today."

Ryne Stanek had pitched the 12th and gotten two outs in the 13th when he gave way to Venters to pitch to Matt Olson, who represented the winning run with a runner on first base.
Venters got ahead 0-2, but Olson managed to work the count to full. That's when Venters threw a 94 mph two-seamer that Olson missed for strike three to end the game.
"You want to go out there and get the job done for your team that's been battling out there all day and played really well," Venters said. "And fortunately, it worked out today."

Tampa Bay traded closer Alex Colome to Seattle on Friday, which has left the Rays without a traditional closer.
"It's a good thing Jonny's done that before," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He's pitched on the back end of bullpens. It's been a long time. But I think once you experience that, you don't forget it. We'll continue to mix and match."
The Rays' offense sputtered for 12 2/3 innings until Johnny Field delivered a two-out single off Chris Hatcher that started the winning rally. Field's hit gave the Rays their first hit since the sixth inning. Jesús Sucre followed with a single to right, moving Field to second. Mallex Smith then slashed a single to right to drive home Field with the winning run.

"We weren't really getting on base much," Smith said. "Johnny started us out with a two-out base hit. [Sucre] knocked a little single up the middle. I just tried not to do too much on a 2-0 count. Came through."
Stanek picked up his first win of the season on an afternoon that saw the Rays use six pitchers. Chris Archer started and had his best outing of the season, allowing no runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven in six innings. Archer has allowed one earned run in his last two starts -- both quality starts -- but has come away with two no-decisions. That stretch has lowered Archer's ERA from 5.01 to 4.29.

Trevor Cahill started for the Athletics and held the Rays scoreless for eight innings on four hits while striking out six.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Archer had posted five zeros on the scoreboard when he ran into trouble in the sixth. One out after Jonathan Lucroy singled to open the inning, Archer walked the bases loaded. That led pitching coach Kyle Snyder to make a mound visit. Olson then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat. Archer pumped his fist in celebration of the twin-killing that finished his outing.

SOUND SMART
Tampa Bay's only 1-0 extra-inning win before Monday came Sept. 13, 2010, against the Yankees in New York. Reid Brignac won that one with a home run in the 11th inning.
HE SAID IT
"I was excited. I know everybody was happy. It was the 13th inning. That's a lot of baseball in one day." -- Smith, on his celebration at first after driving home the game's only run
UP NEXT
The Rays will play the second game of a four-game series against the Athletics on Tuesday in a 10:05 p.m. ET contest at the Oakland Coliseum. Blake Snell hopes to build on his last start when he held the Red Sox scoreless on three hits and two walks while striking out eight in six innings. Daniel Gossett will start for the A's.