ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Chris Archer didnt need much run support for the struggling Tampa Bay hitters. Archer allowed three hits in 6 2/3 innings, Kevin Kiermaier and Evan Longoria homered on consecutive pitches, and the Rays beat the Houston Astros 5-0 on Thursday night. "Tonight he was dominant," Tampa Bay catcher Ryan Hanigan said of Archer. Archer (4-4) struck out eight and walked two to help the Rays win for the sixth time in the last 23 games. "It makes a huge difference when youre pitching ahead," Archer said. "Just getting strike one is key and thats what tonight was proof of." Three Tampa Bay relievers completed a three-hitter, sending Houston to its fourth straight loss. Kiermaier hit a two-run homer before Longoria had a solo drive off Paul Clemens in the seventh. Collin McHugh (4-5) gave up two unearned runs and four hits over six innings on his 27th birthday. "Hes got weapons," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Hes got know-how too." The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Yunel Escobars run-scoring single and a bunt by Hanigan. Tampa Bay got a break when shortstop Jonathan Villar dropped a throw on Brandon Guyers potential double-play grounder after a leadoff single by James Loney. "You look at the quality of pitches he was throwing at that point, he pretty much was in control of the game," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "It was a groundball, double-play ball that we end up not recording a single out. Now it turns it into a pretty stressful inning." Jose Altuve opened the Houston fourth with an infield single and swiped second, but was left stranded. The Astros also failed to score during the sixth when Altuve singled and stole his AL-high 26th base. One day after loading the bases with no outs in the first inning and not scoring in a 2-0 loss to Baltimore, the Rays failed to capitalize during the opening frame Thursday despite having runners on first and third and no outs. McHugh struck out Kiermaier and Longoria before getting a comebacker from Loney. Ben Zobrist, 1 for his last 37 with runners in scoring position, popped out, Kiermaier struck out and Longoria hit a liner to third after the first two Rays drew walks in the third. "We had plenty of opportunities early," Maddon said. "It finally kicked in late." NOTES: The Rays placed OF David DeJesus on the 15-day DL with a broken left hand. DeJesus expects his hand will be in a splint for three weeks. ... Guyer (broken left thumb) was activated from the 15-day DL. ... Tampa Bay RHP Jeremy Hellickson (elbow) will need at least one more minor league start. Hellickson has made three rehab starts, including the last two at Triple-A where he has allowed 11 runs and 18 hits over a combined five innings. ... Houston RHP Brad Peacock, (food poisoning), Saturdays scheduled starter, rejoined the team. ... Rays LHP David Price (5-6) and Astros RHP Jarred Cosart (6-5) are Friday nights starters. Cosart beat Price, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, in his big league debut last July 12. . Murakami gracefully executed a double triple toe jump and a triple flip jump that put her at the top of a tightly contested race with 64.73 points, just ahead of Li Zijun of China on 62. . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken. . -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. .com) - Its fair to call Mike McCarthy one of the best coaches in the NFL but its also more than objective to point out that the veteran mentor bookended the Green Bay Packers season with two, truly awful game plans in Seattle. . Both had to wait out a rain interruption lasting nearly five hours before taking comprehensive third-round victories to join Carling Bassett-Seguso (1983, 1986), Patricia Hy-Boulais (1996-97) and Daniel Nestor (1999) as Canadians who made it into the second week of a major.Peter Wright and Gary Anderson have the chance to play twice this week - but is Wayne Mardle expecting them to take advantage? As Premier League Darts heads to Birmingham on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD at 7pm, our expert Mardle has concerns for fan favourite Snakebite.Heres Waynes picks for Thursdays arrows... Sky Live: PL Darts All the info you need... Peter Wright v Phil TaylorPeter is in a situation where he needs to win all his remaining games and hope other results give him a lift.I love that Peter entertains, I love that his action is superb, but he has got to stop changing his darts. Its becoming farcical. Phil Taylor beat Robert Thornton 7-2 last week Whenever he plays badly, we blame the darts. There will come a point where he plays himself out of form because of the constant changing.Prediction: I think Phil will win this. Hes winning when he plays well and hes winning when he doesnt play well - and thats a nice trait. (Sky Bet Odds: Taylor 1/2 to win)Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson One of the best checkouts of Barneys season I expected Barney to lose to Adrian Lewis last week but Lewis just didnt play well. We know what Barney can do, hes a champion, but Gary is playing better than him. I thought Gary was excellent last week and the week before.Rotterdam is the week after next, and Barney will want to perform on what will be the biggest stage for him.Prediction: I think Gary wins this because Im not convinced Barney can keep fighting for no reason, its just not his way. Anderson will win 7-4. (Sky Bet Odds: Anderson 6/1 to win 7-4)Adrian Lewis v Robert Thornton Watch Adrian Lewis hit a nine darter You could have excused Thornton, after he didnt get eliminated, of just going through the motions.dddddddddddd. He could have just turned up, but no, hes had none of that. Hes tried his heart out. But last week he was really poor. Hes really inconsistent, which is unusual for him. This is a game that Lewis knows he must win.Prediction: Lewis will win it, but it wont be easy pickings. I think it could be a last-leg thriller! (Sky Bet Odds: Lewis 7/1 to win 7-5)James Wade v Michael van Gerwen Michael van Gerwen was on Soccer AM at the weekend If you offered Wade 6-6 he would not turn up.James must replicate what he did in the first week with a win over Michael - hes still the only person to beat him this year. If he can, it bodes well for him to qualify.It could get messy for that fourth spot. A loss for Wade doesnt necessarily end his hopes - if everyone loses, a draw somewhere down the line could be enough. The race for fourth wont be sorted out this week.Prediction: I think Wade loses. I think Van Gerwen just has too much for Wade. (Sky Bet Odds: MVG 2/7 to win)Peter Wright v Gary Anderson Gary Anderson will need better counting to beat Peter Wright... Wright has a terrible record against Anderson. I really do feel that Gary likes to play Wright because he plays well against him a lot.Weve said this when Barney plays Van Gerwen, and when Lewis plays Barney - you get players that you just like to play against. And I dont think Wright is a lover of playing Anderson.Anderson feels like hes got Wrights number, and I also think he has.Prediction: A dismal night for Wright. (Sky Bet Odds: Anderson 8/13 to win)Watch Premier League Darts on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD at 7pm, or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. Also See: Fixtures/Results On Sky TV Prem Table Darts betting Get Sky Sports ' ' 'e ninth, giving up a single while striking out two. ' ' '
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