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Archer goes the distance, Rays nip punchless Yanks

Jul 28, 2013 - 2:41 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Chris Archer tossed a two-hit shutout and Kelly Johnson's sixth-inning RBI single was the difference, as Tampa Bay clipped the Yankees, 1-0, in the middle test of a three-game set.

Archer (6-3) needed just 97 pitches to craft his second career complete-game whitewash, striking out six without a walk. His lone blemishes were a single to Lyle Overbay and double from Brett Gardner.

"I felt stupendously amazing," Archer said after his stellar outing. "It was the best I ever felt in my life."

James Loney collected two hits and Ben Zobrist scored for the Rays, who have won three in a row and taken 21 of their last 24 games to move a season-high 20 games above .500.

Ivan Nova (4-4) was the hard-luck loser, scattering six hits and one run, while fanning eight with three walks for the Yankees, who have dropped seven of their last 10.

"Sometimes when you pitch (well) it's hard to get charged with a loss," Nova said. "It doesn't feel great, but in the end I'm still happy with the way I pitched."

Tampa finally hit the scoreboard in the sixth. Loney singled but was erased on a fielder's choice grounder from Zobrist -- who stole second ahead of a Matt Joyce walk. Johnson then singled to plate Zobrist for all the offense Archer required.

Gardner's double in the home half bounced over the wall in left, but came with two outs. Ichiro Suzuki fanned to end the inning.

Archer completed his impressive outing by retiring the next nine, including a game-ending groundout from Suzuki.

Archer retired the first 10 batters he faced, until Evan Longoria's fielding error allowed Suzuki to reach with one out in the fourth. Robinson Cano followed by grounding into an inning-ending double play.

Overbay broke up Archer's no-hit bid with a one-out single in the fifth inning, but the Yanks came up empty and the game remained scoreless.

Game Notes

Archer's first shutout happened two starts prior, a five-hitter in a 5-0 win against Houston on July 14 ... The 24-year-old has allowed just one earned run in 31 innings over his last four starts ... Archer also finished July with a 4-0 record and 0.73 ERA -- setting a new AL mark for lowest ERA in the month by a rookie ... Rays right fielder Wil Myers saw his streak of seven consecutive multi-hit games end on Saturday, but still matched Giants infielder Marco Scutaro for the longest streak in the majors this season. Myers did manage to set the Rays' rookie record and fell one shy of the club mark of eight in a row held by Carl Crawford in 2007.