Longoria eclipses 200-HR milestone in loss
All-Star becomes 1st 3B with 200 HRs, 250 doubles in 1st 8 seasons
BALTIMORE -- Evan Longoria cut loose with a mammoth homer on Wednesday night, giving him 200 for his career.
Longoria enjoyed the blast so much that he added a second in the ninth, giving him his second multi-home run game of the season and the 15th of his career. Despite his heroics, the Rays lost to the Orioles 7-6 in 11 innings at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
"It's just the way it goes," Longoria said. "You feel good sometimes and you get into a nice little rhythm, offensively. I thought we, as a team, swung the bat really well this series, so hopefully there's that carryover. This is that stretch run where we have to put some series like we did here together to be able to give ourselves a chance in the end."
The Rays' All-Star third baseman stepped to the plate to face Orioles starter Kevin Gausman with one out and a man on in the third. Facing a 1-1 count, Longoria stepped into an 88-mph slider and deposited the ball deep into the left-field stands.
In addition to marking a milestone for Longoria, the blast gave the Rays a 3-0 lead.
Video: Longoria, Zimmerman reach the 200-home run plateau
With the Rays holding a 5-4 lead, Longoria faced Darren O'Day in the ninth and homered off the left-field foul pole to give the Rays a two-run cushion heading into the bottom half of the inning.
"The personal achievements are great and all," Longoria said. "It's something that, eventually, I'll be able to tell my kids and my grandkids that I achieved. But I think the guys who have been around long enough, we all just want to win now. We want to be able to play in the playoffs and ultimately win the championship."
By reaching 200 home runs, Longoria became the first third baseman to ever reach 200 home runs and 250 doubles in his first eight seasons.
Only 19 players all-time have reached those totals in their first eight seasons: Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Mark Teixeira, Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Miguel Cabrera and Ryan Braun.
Longoria also became the first player in Rays history to reach 200 home runs and is one of 11 active players who have hit 200 for their current teams: Ryan Zimmerman, Washington; David Ortiz, Boston; Ryan Howard, Philadelphia; Alex Rodriguez, New York; Cabrera, Detroit; Braun, Milwaukee; Jose Bautista, Toronto; David Wright, New York (NL); Torii Hunter, Minnesota; and Jay Bruce, Cincinnati.
"When you talk about guys who have had long, distinguished careers, for the most part they have won championships," Longoria said. "And that kind of defines you as a player. So that's the goal now."