By A. Stacy Long, Special to the Times
Friday, April 29, 2011
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Rays third baseman Evan Longoria made a powerful statement in the first game of his rehab stay with Double-A Montgomery.
Longoria homered in the second of his four at-bats Thursday, marking his first game action since an April 2 oblique injury.
He was 1-for-4, leaving after seven innings.
"It was good to be back on a baseball field and trying to help a team win," Longoria said. "Just to feel the energy from the guys and to lace up the cleats. It was a fun day."
Longoria hit weak grounders in his first and last plate appearances. His solo home run came in the third inning, on an eight-pitch, five-swing at-bat. He lined out to short in the fourth.
"The first swing, it felt like I was a little scared to let it go," Longoria said. "The more swings I took in that (third-inning) at-bat, the more confident I was it wouldn't bother me.
"I'm going to get more confident with that."
Longoria also made a nice defensive play in the Biscuits' 4-3 win over Jacksonville, a backhanded short-hop stop to start an inning-ending double play.
"He had to come and get it and had the presence of mind to get it to second quickly," Biscuits manager Billy Gardner Jr. said. "He's always had a good feel for the game and how it's played. Very good instincts."
Longoria is scheduled to play in three of Montgomery's next four games before rejoining the Rays on Tuesday. He'll be off either Saturday or Sunday.
"I'm just looking to get back in the swing of things," he said.
Longoria was in Montgomery for the first time since he was the Southern League's most valuable player in 2007 for the Biscuits.