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Pirates pitcher Chris Archer pitches against the Reds in the third inning Sunday, April 7, 2019, at PNC Park.
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Chris Archer responds to Reds broadcaster's pine tar allegations

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Chris Archer responds to Reds broadcaster's pine tar allegations

CHICAGO — Chris Archer said Monday that he did not use pine tar to doctor the ball during his outing Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Fox Sports Ohio broadcaster Chris Welsh pointed out that Archer had a brown spot on the bottom of his uniform top, just above the waistline, and would reach for it. Archer noted that the Sunday throwback jerseys have no belts.

“There’s a drawstring that comes loose, so I was trying to keep my pants up,” he said. “Since we hit and hit in the cage and do all that pregame, I guess at some point I got something on my shirt. A spot that’s like the size of a quarter.”

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Archer said it was possible that there was pine tar on the shirt from when he hit in the cage, but that he didn’t put it there to improve his grip on the ball.

Reds manager David Bell argues a pitch by Pirates starter Chris Archer, followed by the benches clearing, in the fourth inning Sunday, April 7, 2019, at PNC Park.
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“A lot of people use foreign substance that’s illegal, so to throw that out, it’s more of like a personal vendetta than anything,” Archer said. “Because if you wanted to nitpick everything everyone did, you would suspect something on everyone.”

Most pitchers use something — sunscreen is popular — to help them get a better grip on the ball, despite the fact that doing so is against the rules, but pine tar is a third rail.

“Why would I put pine tar on my shirt?” asked Archer, an eight-year veteran.

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Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.

First Published: April 8, 2019, 11:01 p.m.

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Pirates pitcher Chris Archer pitches against the Reds in the third inning Sunday, April 7, 2019, at PNC Park.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
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