A check-swing grounder on a pitch that bounced in the dirt was no challenge for Evan Longoria
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Earning a Gold Glove Award takes a great deal of skill. Top-flight defense on the diamond requires being a master crafstman with the glove, always paying attention no matter the potential distraction.
In the Rays' 3-2 win over the Tigers on Saturday at Comerica Park, Rays third baseman Evan Longoria flashed the type of defense you come to expect from a two-time Gold Glove winner on an odd sequence of events in the second inning. Andrew Romine offered up a check swing on a low pitch from Chris Archer -- and by "low" we mean "it bounced in front of home plate" low. However, Romine's outstretched bat made contact with the pitch after the bounce. It was weird:
Undeterred by this awkward situation, Longoria ranged in from third base and calmly and coolly made a throw to first to retire Romine.
After the game, Archer (the beneficiary of Longoria's heads-up play) shared his reaction to MLB.com's Jordan Horrobin:
"Things happen so fast. There's no time to think. I anticipate them swinging every pitch. The defense does, too, and that's how we were able to make a good play on that."
Awareness is key in this game, and Evan's got it.