Tampa Bay Rays starter Chris Archer possesses one of the major leagues’ best sliders. He can throw it up in the zone like a cutter, sweep it away from right-handers or drop it straight down, all at 91 mph.
Thursday, two Pirates lefties — one on the upswing this month, one heading the opposite direction — connected with that slider for a home run. John Jaso and Gregory Polanco’s homers gave the Pirates a 4-0 victory at PNC Park.
Archer flipped a 2-1 slider over the outside corner to Jaso in the fourth inning. Jaso drove it into the seats in right-center field for his sixth home run of the season.