Matt Duffy had just grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to clear the bases when Longoria stepped to the plate and fell behind in the count, 0-1. The Yankees left-hander came back with a changeup, and Longoria hammered the offering deep into the left-field stands to give the Rays a 1-0 lead.
"I think it was just a pitch he left up," Longoria said. "I was kind of out in front of it, but I was able to stay through it."
The homer gave Longoria 15 in his career at the new Yankee Stadium, tying him with David Ortiz for second most at the park by a visiting player.