ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - A rookie was the star as the Tampa
Bay Rays won their first-ever playoff game.
Evan Longoria homered in his first two at-bats and collected
three RBIs to lead the Rays to a 6-4 win over the Chicago White Sox
in the American League Division Series.
Dewayne Wise ripped a three-run homer to give the White Sox a
3-1 lead in the third inning. But Longoria put the Rays ahead to
stay by smacking a solo homer to cap the scoring in Tampa Bay's
three-run third. Longoria also singled home an insurance run in the
fifth inning, chasing losing pitcher Javier Vazquez from the mound.
Winning pitcher James Shields allowed six hits before leaving
the game with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh. Grant
Balfour worked out of the jam by fanning Juan Uribe and Orlando Cabrera to keep the score 6-3. Dan Wheeler surrendered
a ninth-inning homer to Paul Konerko before notching the save.
The Rays also host Game 2 Friday, sending Scott Kazmir to the
mound against Mark Buehrle.