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Rookie Keeps Rays Keep Cool In Heat Of Playoffs

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Evan Longoria smiles after crossing home plate with his second straight home run in the third inning.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 2, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG – Does he hear the noise? Does he feel the pressure? Does he even have a pulse?

No, no and no.

So much for postseason experience. What did it mean for rookie third baseman Evan Longoria? What did it mean for the fresh-faced Tampa Bay Rays?

Nada.

The Tampa Bay area already knew about Longoria, the coolness and precision, how he plays like a 10-year veteran. Thursday, the nation got a glimpse in the Rays' 6-4 win against the Chicago White Sox in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

Longoria blasted two home runs in his first two postseason at-bats. He delivered an RBI single. Later, when the White Sox clearly didn't want to mess with him any longer, Chicago reliever Clayton Richard delivered an unintentional/intentional walk, tossing four low pitches to the plate.

Can't blame him.

Who wants to deal with Longoria, on his way to AL Rookie of the Year, maybe on his way to MVP of this short series? Maybe that's jumping the gun, but Longoria certainly jumped White Sox starter Javier Vazquez.

And the Rays played like they have been playing all year long during this AL East-winning season.

The hits were timely (especially the ones by Longoria).

Longoria became only the second guy in major-league history to hit two homers in his first two postseason at-bats, joining former Minnesota Twin third baseman Gary Gaetti, who opened with two homers in the 1987 AL playoffs against Detroit.

That took place in the Metrodome, which was only slightly louder that night than Tropicana Field, awash with 35,041 cowbelling-clanging, Mohawk-wearing fans. This kind of history only takes place in domes, you know.

Babe Ruth might have done the same thing, if only "old'' Yankee Stadium had been built with a roof. It wasn't.

Back to the Rays and the greatest day (so far) in franchise history.

Let's not forget starter James Shields, who did his job, getting into the seventh inning.

Give major credit to the bullpen, which took it from there. Grant Balfour had two bases-loaded strikeouts in the seventh. J.P. Howell got the White Sox 1-2-3 in the eighth. That left it for Dan Wheeler, who worked the ninth (giving up a solo homer to Paul Kornerko).

For starters, it was a very nice effort.

For starters, it was exactly what the Rays needed.

There was the slight fear that after clinching the playoffs, clinching the division and having two very wild celebrations, the opener could be a bit flat, particularly against a White Sox team that had been forced into desperate brinksmanship just to clinch the AL Central title.

Nope.

Not even close.

Joe Maddon's Rays were calm, cool and collected.

Longoria performed like he's been doing this his whole life.

The Rays are off and bashing. Now Scott Kazmir can tighten the vise in Game 2 and give the Rays a two-game cushion.

Who could ask for anything more?

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