CHICAGO – Evan Longoria hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning and the surging Tampa Bay Rays won their eighth straight game Thursday night, handing the White Sox a 3-2 loss that hurts Chicago's playoff hopes.

The Rays remained two games back in the race for the second AL wild card, while the White Sox fell two games behind Detroit in the AL Central after their eighth loss in nine games. Tampa Bay and Chicago have six games to go, including three more against each other. Detroit beat Kansas City 5-4 earlier Thursday.

Longoria's 14th homer came on the eve of the anniversary of his dramatic shot that beat the Yankees on the final day last season and gave the Rays the AL wild card.