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Longoria tests arm, returns to third base for Rays

 
Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria watches his single in the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, in Baltimore. Longoria had three hits as the Rays won 3-1. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) MDPS113
Tampa Bay Rays' Evan Longoria watches his single in the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, in Baltimore. Longoria had three hits as the Rays won 3-1. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) MDPS113
Published Aug. 28, 2014

BALTIMORE — Evan Longoria was feeling pretty good before Wednesday's game since he was able to return to third base, having rested his sore right forearm with two days at DH, and afterward as he rapped three hits and the Rays won 3-1.

But there were some moments in between.

In the first inning, when he made a bad baserunning blunder that limited, though didn't eliminate, the Rays' bid to take an early lead. And in the eighth, when a hard-hit ball went off his glove and through his legs.

"Not a good feeling,'' Longoria said.

With a run in and Matt Joyce on first in the first inning, Longoria singled to extend the rally. James Loney followed with a single to right that looked to load the bases.

Longoria said he was looking over his shoulder to see the rightfielder throwing home then at the first baseman not cutting the ball off, but not ahead as he rounded second. He didn't realize that Joyce had —wisely — stopped at third and Longoria ran right into an easy out.

"I just assumed there was a play at the plate (on Joyce) so I kept on running and got to third and that wasn't the case,'' Longoria said. "It's my fault there for not, I guess, turning my head and picking up (third-base coach Tom) Foley and the runner.''

Manager Joe Maddon called it "just a gaffe where you don't run with your head up.''

Longoria said the two-out ball in the eighth was hit extremely hard and hit off his glove on the fly then through his legs for what he said was "a tough error," but Brad Boxberger got the final out. "I'm just happy we got out of the inning,'' he said.

Longoria said the arm felt good, and Maddon said they don't plan any special handling. "I don't think you can say he's 100 percent, but he's doing a lot better,'' Maddon said. "If he needs to DH because the arm is bothering him, he'll DH.''

As for the injury itself, Maddon said, "It shouldn't be anything horrible or chronic or awful. It's nothing he's going to hurt himself worse with.''

MEDICAL MATTERS: OF Kevin Kiermaier returned to the lineup after missing two games with a stiff neck. … Maddon said he thought C Ryan Hanigan looked good Tuesday in his first game since July 8.

LEAVING, ON A JET PLANE: RHP Chris Archer will skip tonight's game, flying home this afternoon so he can be rested for his Friday start against the Red Sox and new nemesis David Ortiz.

"It's a little strange, but I'm just happy the team, the organization, knows the importance of getting a good night's sleep for the starting pitcher," he said.

"I wish that we didn't play a night game. I don't really see the point behind it. Maybe to get a couple extra ticket sales here in Baltimore, I don't know, maybe we messed them up one time, I don't know. I wish that our whole team could get a little rest."

REHAB REPORT: OF David DeJesus (left hand fracture) went 1-for-2 with two walks in his seventh rehab game for Class A Charlotte and is 5-for-20 overall. He is expected to rejoin the Rays after Monday's roster expansion.

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NOT-SO-MINOR MATTERS: Triple-A Durham opens the best-of-five International League playoffs on Wednesday with Games 1-2 at Columbus (Indians). … Short-season Class A Hudson Valley lost 3-1 to Aberdeen in its first bid to clinch its division title and advance to the NY-Penn League playoffs. … Rookie-level Princeton (W. Va.) has a 1½-game division lead and games remaining tonight and Friday.

MISCELLANY: Longoria and Orioles CF Adam Jones presented a $10,000 check pregame on behalf of all major-leaguers to the Cool Kids Campaign, which helps pediatric cancer patients. … In addition to the seven players assigned full time to Peoria in the Arizona Fall League, C Luke Maile will be a taxi-squad (part-time) player for Surprise.