Chris Archer pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a fifth-inning single by Colby Rasmus, and struck out 11 to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Houston Astros 1-0 Thursday night.
It was Archer’s third career shutout and second against the Astros, having also blanked them in 2013.
Archer (11-9) retired the final 15 batters, fanning five. Rasmus led off the fifth with a groundball single and was the last runner for the AL West leaders.
Archer walked Jose Altuve on four pitches to begin the first. Later, Altuve tried to advance on a pitch in the dirt and was thrown out.
In his previous start, Archer allowed 11 hits and eight runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 12-4 loss to Texas.
Desmond Jennings got two hits for Tampa Bay and drove in the lone run with a single in the fourth off Collin McHugh (13-7).
McHugh yielded five hits in seven innings of his second straight loss.
This was the ninth start this year Archer hadn’t allowed a run, which tops the AL.
Archer reached the 200-strikeout mark for the first time in his career when he fanned Altuve in the fourth. Archer ended the night with 205 — he joined Scott Kazmir, David Price and James Shields as the only pitchers in franchise history with 200 Ks in the a season.
McHugh escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third. Logan Forsythe singled with one out in the fourth and moved up on a wild pitch with two outs. The Rays took a 1-0 lead on the single to center field by Jennings.
Via KristieRieken/AP