Reliever Venditte puts on a show in losing effort

There are few certainties in minor league baseball, but there were at least two in play on Monday night at Riley Park with CBS in town to do a feature on Pat Venditte, the Charleston RiverDogs' ambidextrous relief pitcher.

Regardless of the score, everyone in the park knew Venditte would pitch, and that he would do so both righty and lefty.

Charleston lost 4-2 to Greenville in front of a crowd of 2,818, and Venditte, who was the subject of a lengthy Saturday feature in The Post and Courier, got to strut his stuff in front of the CBS cameras.

With Charleston (13-12) trailing 4-1 with two out in the top of the eighth inning, Venditte, the RiverDogs' ace closer, was sent in to protect the three-run deficit.

As usual, he did his job, and CBS was able to get the righty-lefty video they needed with the first two batters he faced.

He pitched right-handed to the right-handed hitting Will Middlebrook, who singled to left. Venditte then pitched lefty to the left-handed hitting David Mailman and struck him out. He pitched lefty-righty again in the ninth, retiring the Drive (14-11) in order.

"It's a neat experience for Pat," Charleston manager Torre Tyson said of CBS' presence. "We're just along for the ride."

Venditte has seven saves in eight opportunities, and even though this wasn't one of them, he was his usual unerringly efficient self.

He's now 1-1 with a 0.00 earned run average in 11 2/3 innings with 21 strikeouts and no walks.

He said the CBS cameras didn't make him nervous.

"There's a lot more nerves going on when you're up by a run or two," Venditte said. "I didn't think about (CBS) too much. I just wanted to go out and keep our team in the game. I try to keep the same demeanor, even if it's not a close situation."

Melky Mesa put the RiverDogs ahead 1-0 with a two-out, run-scoring double in the second inning, but Greenville bounced back with three runs in the third, highlighted by Ryan Lavarnway's two-run double to left.

Greenville added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly, and Charleston made it 4-2 in the eighth on Brian Baisley's sacrifice fly.

Coming up

The RiverDogs wrap up the series with Greenville at 11:05 a.m. today. The game is designated Education Day/Senior Day as well as Two For Tuesday. Fans who show their Bi-Lo card at the box office can receive two-for-one admission. Andrew Brackman (0-3, 4.91 ERA) is expected to start for the RiverDogs, while Brock Huntzinger (1-0, 3.20 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Drive.

Charleston opens a four-game home series against Asheville on Wednesday.

E—Mailman. DP—Greenville 1. LOB—Greenville 7, Charleston 6. 2B—Hissey, Lavamway, Mesa, Kruml. SF—Hissey, Baisley. SB—Dening, Kruml.

PB—Lavarnway.

Time—2:25. Att—2,818.