V for Venditte: Switch-pitcher gets 1st victory, AB

PHOENIX -- Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte picked up his first Major League victory Sunday afternoon in Arizona, returning from a scoreless, two-inning outing to a beer shower that was "cold, but well worth it," he said, smiling, after the A's 7-4, 11-inning win.

"It was nice to be able to experience that first win with this group of guys," said Venditte, who also had his first career at-bat. "Things haven't really gone our way as of late, so to come back and get that one today, it's very special."

"I really didn't want to use him today," manager Bob Melvin said. "Next thing you know, I'm using him two innings to get his first win."

Video: OAK@ARI: Venditte induces flyout, earns first MLB win

Venditte plans to give the authenticated game ball to his father, who was in attendance Sunday. Pat Venditte Sr. groomed his son into a switch-pitcher beginning at the age of 3 in their backyard in Omaha.

"Getting to this level, you do reflect on some of the long bus rides and different cities you have to play in to get to this," said Venditte, 30. "But to get this first one was very special, I'm sure it'll sink in somewhere on that flight home, but right now I'm just happy to get that win today."

Venditte, who became the first full-time switch-pitcher in the modern era of Major League Baseball when he made his big league debut in Boston in June, allowed just one hit and struck out one without walking a batter to close out the game. He, too, even got an at-bat.

Following run-scoring hits from Marcus Semien and Eric Sogard that unknotted the game with two outs in the 11th, Venditte stepped to the plate with two on to face right-hander A.J. Schugel for his first career plate appearance.

Venditte built the count full, fouling off two pitches, before taking a called third strike on the eighth pitch of the at-bat.

"I was a little upset I didn't get to use my bats," said Venditte, who borrowed one from Semien. "I had some bats ordered for today, but it happened too fast so I didn't get to use them. I was just trying to do something productive. I didn't have anything in mind, and when I saw some pitches, I thought maybe I could get to something in a full count. I thought maybe that was my best chance at getting on base."

His work on the mound, though, proved plenty impactful.

"This is probably the best moment of his career to this point, being able to pitch two innings and get his first win, no doubt," Melvin said.

"The one cool part about this year is people like Pat Venditte and Aaron Brooks getting their first wins with us and watching guys like Billy Burns and Mark Canha take off," Stephen Vogt said. "There's been a lot of exciting stuff around here, so to see a guy like Pat Venditte who has worked so hard for a really long time get his first win, that's that benchmark for a pitcher to get that, so that was pretty special."