07-26-2010, 01:33 AM
Minor league pitcher of the year update
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Chris Archer ended his first month at Double-A by allowing one hit over six innings as the Tennessee Smokies blanked the Mississippi Braves, 4-0, to salvage a split of their doubleheader.
The 21-year-old right-hander struck out five to improve to 4-1 in five Southern League starts. He's yet to allow an earned run over 28 1/3 innings since a promotion from Class A Advanced Daytona.
Archer's only blemish in Sunday's nightcap was a leadoff single by Yasser Gomez in the bottom of the first. After Tyler Pastornicky sacrificed, Archer got Eric Duncan and Jesus Sucre to ground out to strand Gomez at third.
Sucre reached on a throwing error in the fourth but was caught stealing one batter later.
The 2006 fifth-round pick did not encounter another significant threat until the sixth, when Pastornicky and Duncan reached with one out. Archer retired Sucre on a popout, then ended his night by striking out Michael Daniel.
Marcos Mateo fanned two in a perfect seventh to nail down Tennessee's ninth shutout of the season.
The last time Archer allowed an earned run was June 22 with Daytona. He didn't earn a win until his sixth Florida State League but won five straight starts and was 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA at the time of his promotion.
Archer has gone at least five innings in all five starts for Tennessee. He allowed three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings against West Tenn to win his Double-A debut before taking the loss against Jacksonville on July 7. Since then, the North Carolina native is 3-0 with 15 strikeouts, seven walks and a 1.10 WHIP.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Chris Archer ended his first month at Double-A by allowing one hit over six innings as the Tennessee Smokies blanked the Mississippi Braves, 4-0, to salvage a split of their doubleheader.
The 21-year-old right-hander struck out five to improve to 4-1 in five Southern League starts. He's yet to allow an earned run over 28 1/3 innings since a promotion from Class A Advanced Daytona.
Archer's only blemish in Sunday's nightcap was a leadoff single by Yasser Gomez in the bottom of the first. After Tyler Pastornicky sacrificed, Archer got Eric Duncan and Jesus Sucre to ground out to strand Gomez at third.
Sucre reached on a throwing error in the fourth but was caught stealing one batter later.
The 2006 fifth-round pick did not encounter another significant threat until the sixth, when Pastornicky and Duncan reached with one out. Archer retired Sucre on a popout, then ended his night by striking out Michael Daniel.
Marcos Mateo fanned two in a perfect seventh to nail down Tennessee's ninth shutout of the season.
The last time Archer allowed an earned run was June 22 with Daytona. He didn't earn a win until his sixth Florida State League but won five straight starts and was 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA at the time of his promotion.
Archer has gone at least five innings in all five starts for Tennessee. He allowed three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings against West Tenn to win his Double-A debut before taking the loss against Jacksonville on July 7. Since then, the North Carolina native is 3-0 with 15 strikeouts, seven walks and a 1.10 WHIP.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->