Ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte threw with both arms for the New York Yankees* on Tuesday, giving up one run in 1 1-3 innings during a 9-6 split-squad loss to the Atlanta Braves.
One time I told someone I might or might not be ambidextrous. Turns out I was just ambiguous. Thank you! I'll be here all week.
Making his first appearance for the Yankees, Venditte took over for CC Sabathia with two outs in the fifth inning and tossed four warmup pitches with each hand. Venditte switched back and forth, depending on whether he was facing a righty or lefty, and gave up two hits and a walk.
The 24-year-old reliever, who uses a six-finger glove, pitched for two teams in Class A last season and went a combined 4-2 with 22 saves and a 1.87 ERA. He is scheduled to begin the season at Class A Tampa.
...Venditte started out as a righty in the fifth and retired Yunel Escobar on a grounder to end the inning.
In the sixth, Venditte pitched right-handed to Matt Diaz and gave up a single. Venditte shifted to a lefty and fielded Nate McLouth's sacrifice bunt.
Later in the inning, switch-hitter Brooks Conrad came to the plate and by rule Venditte had to declare in advance how he would pitch. He went righty, Conrad batted lefty and grounded out.
*As a native of Baltimore I'm required to restate my allegiance: I hate the Yankees.
