PITTSBURGH -- Sitting in his office on Wednesday afternoon, Clint Hurdle thought back to the Trade Deadline afternoon the Pirates acquired Chris Archer. It was a thrilling day for a club that had surged back into the postseason picture. The Bucs fell behind and eventually out of the race, but Hurdle isn't any less enthused now about having Archer on board.
"Actually," Hurdle said, "probably a little bit more so."
Hours later, Archer offered a reminder of his ability in his best start for Pittsburgh. The right-hander struck out eight over seven efficient innings as the Pirates pulled out their fifth straight win, a 2-1 victory over the Royals at PNC Park.