Chris Archer keeps finding new and interesting ways to lose baseball games.
Archer, the Tampa Bay Rays pitcher, lost for the 17th time this season (7-17) in a 2-1 decision against the Boston Red Sox. He lasted five innings and gave up only one earned run.
For the Rays, this time, the game boiled down to two plays at third base. In the third inning, Steven Souza‘s attempt to throw out David Ortiz skipped by the bag, allowing a run to score. In the eighth, right fielder Mookie Betts cut down Kevin Kiermaier as he tried to stretch a double into a triple.
Archer threw first-pitch strikes to only eight of 21 batters. He needed 109 pitches to get through five innings. Archer is now one loss away from tying Tanyon Sturtze‘s team record of 18 losses.
Archer started the season considered the Rays’ ace after making the All-Star Game last year. He was fifth in the Cy Young voting and second in the league in strikeouts.
This year, he has a shot at leading the league in strikeouts and could reach 200 innings.
The Rays got two hits each from Corey Dickerson and Kiermaier.
Tonight, Tampa Bay sends Matt Andriese to the mound against Rick Porcello.
