Fri May 9 22:11:00 2008

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Shields throws another shutout; Longoria hits winning HR in ninth

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St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Evan Longoria hit the game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth and James Shields pitched a one-hit shutout as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Angels, 2-0, in the opener of a three-game series.

Shields (4-2) was dominant throughout, retiring 25-of-27 batters with the exceptions being a Brandon Wood single in the third and a ball that hit Erick Aybar in the fourth. In addition to allowing only two baserunners, Shields, who retired the final 17 batters he faced, struck out eight.

It was Shields' second shutout in his last three starts. He threw a two-hitter in a 3-0 home win over the Red Sox on April 27. In his previous outing, Shields was charged with 10 hits and seven runs through 3 2/3 innings in a loss at Boston.

Tampa Bay matched a franchise record by winning its seventh straight home game. The Rays last won seven straight at home, June 9-26, 2004. The Rays have won three of their last four overall.

Carlos Pena had two singles and B.J. Upton reached twice with a walk in the opening inning and a single in the ninth for the Rays.

Los Angeles starter Jon Garland went toe-to-toe with Shields through eight scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out two. The Angels have lost two in a row following a four-game winning streak.

Justin Speier (0-2) came on in the ninth for LA and gave up a leadoff single to right from Upton. Pena grounded out to first moving Upton to second. Longoria made sure of the outcome taking a Speier fastball into the seats in left-center to win the game and preserve Shields' extraordinary effort.

Shields stayed in for the top of the ninth having only thrown 81 pitches and retired the Angels in order with help from Longoria, who made two nice pickups at third, keeping the Halos off the board through nine.

Garland allowed a leadoff walk to Gabe Gross in the third, but got a double play ball off the bat of Jason Bartlett. Akinori Iwamura followed with a single just over the glove of a leaping Aybar, but Carl Crawford popped out to end the inning.

Aybar led off the fourth offering bunt and took a Shields cutter off his left hand while it gripped the bat. He was awarded first base but had to leave the game and was replaced by pinch runner Robb Quinlan. Vladimir Guerrero proceeded to ground into a double play and Garret Anderson grounded out to end the inning.

Tampa offered a threat in the bottom half getting a one-out single from Pena followed by a walk from Longoria, but Eric Hinske hit into a double play to end the inning.

Garland continued to pitch well through the middle innings as well, setting down seven consecutive batters from the fourth until Pena led off the seventh with a looping single to right. The Rays stranded the runner hitting into three straight force outs to end the frame.

Garland stayed in to pitch the eighth despite already being over 100 pitches and gave up a leadoff double to Gross, who was lifted for a pinch-runner, Nathan Haynes. Bartlett grounded out to shortstop moving Haynes to third and Iwamura grounded out to third for the second out with Haynes unable to advance home. Crawford grounded up the first base line for the third out allowing Garland to escape unscathed.

Game Notes

Shields threw 92 pitches, including 61 for strikes...The Rays kicked off a seven-game homestand after coming off a 4-5 nine-game road trip...The Angels are 4-3 in their last seven, the Rays are 3-4...The Angels had the best road record in the majors at 12-6 entering the game...LA won six of eight from the Rays last season and is 13-5 against them since the start of the 2006 season.