LOS ANGELES -- In conversing with Rays’ people in spring training, a recurring theme kept coming up when they talked about Chris Archer: He had an increasingly difficult time getting hitters out once he got to two strikes during his final three seasons in Tampa Bay.
Archer seemed to be over those troubles through his four starts this year in his first full season with the Pirates. Hitters were just 6-for-44 (.136) with five walks against him with two strikes.
However, the inability to put hitters away did Archer in Friday night as the Pirates lost to the Dodgers 6-2 at Dodger Stadium in the opener of a three-game series and five-game road trip.
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