Longo To The Rescue! Tampa Bay's Best Player Saves The Day

The ball rocketed off his bat, leaving no doubt as it cleared the left field cheap seats. Until that shot, it looked like his team, the Tampa Bay Rays, were bound for another loss to inferior team. They were about to lose yet another one run game and fall even further behind in the race to defend their AL East crown.

Evan Longoria changed that with one swing of the bat, garnering at least on this night, a trifecta for the Rays that had eluded them all season: a win against a bad team, win in a close game, a win late. In 2008, those things were common place for Tampa Bay and for them to remain in the race, they need them to return.

Last night's 8-7 win over the Kansas City Royals is a good start. While the euphoria of the dramatic come from behind victory permeated through out the team, it was the need that was most troubling.

James Shields struggled once again. The pitcher who won 14 games for Tampa Bay last season has been frustrated in '09, managing only a 6-6 record. His troubles returned again as he was shelled for seven runs in just 5 1/3 innings of work.

In past games, it was the long ball that got Shields. He gave up another last night, but it was allowing the annoying hit at the worst times that seemed to get the better of the righty in this one.

In the first inning, Kansas City's David De Jesus scored on a fielder's choice to spot the Royals a 1-0 lead. Tampa Bay would counter in the third, getting RBI singles by Carl Crawford and Pat Burrell to jump to a 2-1 edge. Shields fell apart in the third inning, allowing five runs on a two run single by Mark Teahan and a three-run homer to Mike Jacobs.

If you're wondering who the heck these guys are, join the rest of the nation. Teahan has been decent this season, batting .296 with 32 RBI, but Jacobs came in batting .222. His blast in the third was his 13th. They're not A-Rod and Jeter to say the least. Yet they managed to put a 5-spot on the guy who started opening day for Tampa Bay.

Down 6-2 in the fourth, Tampa Bay began to slice away, getting a run scoring single from Longoria and getting another run when Carl Crawford scored on a passed ball.

Dejesus's single in the sixth extended the Kansas City advantage to 7-4, but Pat Burrell's two-run homer in the seventh set up Longoria's heroics.

In the top of the eighth and Crawford on, Longoria worked a 2-0 count then blasted the moon shot to left. NORAD is tracking the ball in low orbit right now.

Dan Wheeler would come in to earn a hold in the bottom half of the eighth and JP Howell would get the Royals one-two-three in the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.

For Tampa Bay, it was a good omen and hopefully a sign that this baseball team is ready to make a run at the big boys.