Archer avoids 20th loss, leads Rays past White Sox
CHICAGO -- Right-hander Chris Archer survived seventh-inning struggles and avoided a 20-loss season as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 5-3 Thursday.
The Rays (66-93) ended a six-game losing streak in the finale of the four-game series after the White Sox (77-82) won the first three.
Archer (9-19) snapped a two-game losing streak while allowing three runs on six hits for the win. He walked two and struck out five over 6 2/3 innings.
Archer also topped 200 innings for the second time in his five-year career as he outdueled Chicago starter Jose Quintana, who worked six innings of two-run ball.
Quintana (13-12) struck out seven and walked two while throwing 105 pitches.
Chicago missed a chance to finish .500 for the season by taking its 82nd loss of the season.
Rain delayed the game for delayed 35 minutes entering the top of the ninth inning.
Rays reliever Alex Colome worked a scoreless ninth for his 36th save.
The White Sox scored their first runs in the sixth as Tim Anderson tripled to deep right and came home on Melky Cabrera's fielder's choice grounder to trim the Rays' lead to 2-1.
Chicago reliever Juan Minaya gave up three consecutive singles to open the seventh, and Mikie Mahtook scored from third on Curt Casali's base hit with none out.
Minaya then loaded the bases with one out and departed in favor of Dan Jennings, who gave up an RBI base hit to Kevin Kiermaier and a run-scoring sacrifice to Evan Longoria for a 5-1 lead.
Jennings also faced bases loaded with two outs but got Corey Dickerson to strike out to end the lengthy inning.
Carlos Sanchez cut the margin to 5-3 when he took Archer deep for a two-out, two-run homer in the seventh, scoring Alex Avila, who had walked.
That prompted activity in the Rays bullpen, and Archer departed after giving up double down the left field line to Leury Garcia. Brad Boxberger entered and got Adam Eaton to ground out.
The Rays opened a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Brad Miller led off with a walk, reached second on Dickerson's single and scored on a one-out base hit by Alexei Ramirez.
Mahtook made it 2-0 with a two-out home run to left field in the fourth inning. His third homer of the season came on Quintana's 1-0 pitch.
Quintana hit a career-high innings total in the fifth inning, topping his previous high of 206 1/3 reached last season. He has reached 200-plus innings in each of the past four of his five big league seasons.
NOTES: Tampa Bay closes the season at Texas starting Friday in a series of consequence as the Rangers seek home-field advantage in the AL playoffs. ... The Rays send RHP Matt Andriese (8-7, 4.34 ERA) against Rangers RHP Yu Darvish (6-5, 3.53 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series. The Rays have a 2-1 lead in the season series, taking two of three at Tropicana Field in August. It will be Tampa Bay's first visit to Globe Life Park since Aug. 14-16, 2015, a three-game Rangers sweep. ... Chicago remains home and wraps up the season with a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins. ... The Twins send RHP Tyler Duffey (9-11, 6.18 ERA) against White Sox LHP Carlos Rodon (8-10, 4.08 ERA). Rodon is 2-2 with a 3.71 ERA and 30 strikeouts vs. the Twins this season. ... White Sox manager Robin Ventura announced Thursday that LHP Chris Sale will have one more start after all. The AL Cy Young Award candidate seeks his 18th victory in Sunday's series and season finale against the Twins.