Archer (8-17) scuffled through the fourth inning but was otherwise outstanding, limiting Houston to three runs on four hits and two walks with 10 strikeouts.
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The Tampa Bay Rays and the Houston Astros will be meeting at Minute Maid Park in Major League Baseball action on Sunday.
He wouldn’t be so lucky in the 2nd inning, as snell gave up three straight doubles to Carlos Correa, Evan Gattis and Yulieski Gurriel (his first MLB XBH) to put the Astros up 2-0. Playing in his fifth game, it was the first time he’d displayed the timely hitting that allowed him to pile up more than 1,000 RBIs over 15 seasons in Cuba. “So adapting to this still is a process”.
Bregman connected off fellow rookie Blake Snell (4-7) in the third inning to make it 4-0. Bregman would drive in his fifth run with a single up the middle. “Best for him. Best for us going forward. unfortunately it just didn’t work out”. He entered 0-4 in six starts against them. It was Bregman’s fifth homer.
Snell would exit the game in the fourth after Marwin Gonzalez rocketed a hit off his left ankle – Gonzalez moved to second on an errant throw from catcher Bobby Wilson. Snell has struggled with control in his last three starts, walking 13 batters in that span, including a career-high five in his last outing.
Before Saturday, the left-hander hadn’t allowed more than two earned runs in a start since July 2, but he also hasn’t pitched at least six frames since July 24. The streak was a franchise record for a rookie. “I think it’s just about making pitches in this league”, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of the variance in the performances of his starters. Later in the inning Corey Dickerson hit a three run homer off Tony Sipp to push the lead to 9-4. Beckham singled with one out but was caught in a rundown when he tried to go to third on a single by Mikie Mahtook.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Steven Souza Jr.
NOTES: Rays RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) made his final rehab start for Triple-A Durham on Saturday night and is scheduled to rejoin the team in Boston. Cobb hasn’t pitched in the majors since September 28, 2014.
Astros: OF Colby Rasmus worked out on the field for the second straight day as he works to return after having surgery to remove a cyst in his ear August 10. There’s no date set for his return yet, and the Astros are trying to decide if he’ll need a rehabilitation assignment before coming off the disabled list.
Rays: Chris Archer (7-17, 4.11) starts for Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Astros: RHP Joe Musgrove (1-2, 5.20) starts against Oakland on Monday.
While he didn’t match the brilliance of the one-hit shutout he tossed in Houston on August 20, 2015, Archer faced just one batter over the minimum over his first three innings and repeated that feat over his final three frames, coming unraveled a bit in the fourth yet rebounding nicely to complete seven strong innings.
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Astros: Dallas Keuchel (8-12, 4.64) will start for Houston on Saturday. Fister has failed to pitch into the seventh inning in any of his last five home starts.Clinging to a 4-3 lead after seven innings, the Rays exploded for five runs in the eighth.
