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Rays journal: Chris Archer snaps out of funk in win over Orioles (w/video)

 
Brad Miller, finishing a difficult season on a high note, hits a three-run homer in the fourth to give him nine RBIs in the past eight games.
Brad Miller, finishing a difficult season on a high note, hits a three-run homer in the fourth to give him nine RBIs in the past eight games.
Published Oct. 1, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG — RHP Chris Archer reached 200 innings for the third consecutive year and will finish the season tied for the major-league lead with 34 starts after throwing five shutout innings Saturday in the Rays' 4-3 win against the Orioles.

He snapped a career-long five-start losing streak, but he said he didn't look at his outing as finishing his season on a high note.

"Five innings scoreless really isn't a good note," Archer said. "A losing season for the team, a losing season for myself, it's really not like good or bad note. I want us to go to the playoffs, man. I want to maximize my potential every single start. You strive for perfection, you come up a little bit short, it's okay. To me, good note or bad note, we had a losing season so it's really not that good of a note."

RELATED: Alex Cobb bracing for his final day in a Rays uniform.

Archer (10-12, 4.07) struck out 249 batters, three shy of the team record he set in 2015. His 34 starts tied him with LHP Scott Kazmir (2007), David Price (2012) and himself (2015) for the most in team history.

His third straight season with at least 200 innings tied Price for the second-best streak in team history. Shields holds the team record with six straight.

"He prides himself on taking the ball every fifth day, he prides himself on getting out there and staying out there," manager Kevin Cash said. "That 200-inning mark, there's only a handful of guys that get there every year, and he's done that now a couple of times. We're very fortunate to have a guy who we can pencil in every fifth day to give us that type of work to stay out there."

Big fly from Miller

2B Brad Miller continued his late-season resurgence at the plate with a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Those three RBIs were a season high. He was 2-for-4, raising his average to .201.

Miller has eight hits, two homers and nine RBIs in his past eight games.

RELATED: Likely payroll cuts mean usual tough offseason decisions.

Numbers of the day

3 Spot in the batting order for C Wilson Ramos on Saturday, the highest he has batted in 620 career starts.

4 Steals by the Rays, matching their season high. CF Kevin Kiermaier had two, SS Adeiny Hechavarria and Miller one each.

Level playing field

All games today begin at 3 p.m. Major League Baseball adopted this schedule in 2015 so teams vying for playoff spots — division titles and wild-card spots — would not have an advantage over those playing at an earlier time.

No races remain unsettled on the final day of the season since the Rockies clinched the second National League wild-card spot when the Brewers lost to the Cardinals.

RELATED: Marc Topkin's takeaways from Saturday's Rays-Orioles game.

Miscellany

. RHP Alex Colome allowed a run on three hits but recorded his 47th save. He is the first Ray to lead the majors in saves for a season. A save today and he will tie Fernando Rodney's franchise record set in 2012.

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. A win today in the season finale will give the Rays (79-82) only their second sweep of a three-game series this season. It will also match their best record under third-year manager Kevin Cash.

. CF Kevin Kiermaier tied his career high with two stolen bases.