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Kameron Misner hits walk-off homer to win it for the Rays (1:03)
Kameron Misner provides the heroics in the Rays' first game at Steinbrenner Field with a walk-off home run to sink the Rockies. (1:03)
ESPN News Services
Mar 28, 2025, 07:11 PM ET
TAMPA, Fla. -- Rookie Kameron Misner led off the ninth inning with his first major league home run, giving Tampa Bay a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday as the Rays began their season of home games at Steinbrenner Field.
Miser, a 27-year-old who debuted last August, entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth. He drove a first-pitch fastball from Victor Vodnik (0-1) over the right-field wall for his second big league hit.
He became the first player in major league history to have his first home run be a walk-off home run on Opening Day.
"I'm actually still trying to feel it," he said on the field after the win. "It all happened so fast. Best-case scenario."
Pete Fairbanks (1-0) worked around two walks in the ninth for the win.
Tampa Bay is playing at the New York Yankees' spring training home after Hurricane Milton destroyed the Tropicana Field roof Oct. 9.
Kyle Freeland struck out seven in six scoreless innings for the Rockies, coming off their sixth straight losing season. Freeland threw 53 of 67 pitches for strikes, starting his first eight batters with strikes and 15 of 20 overall.
Tampa Bay tied the score in the seventh on Jonathan Aranda's sacrifice fly and José Caballero's RBI single against Tyler Kinley.
Tampa Bay last year ended a streak of five straight postseason appearances.
Colorado's Ezequiel Tovar hit an RBI double in the third and Kyle Farmer a sacrifice fly in the fourth against Ryan Pepiot, who gave up two runs -- one earned -- and six hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and a walk.
Mickey Moniak made his Rockies debut as a pinch runner in the ninth and was caught stealing.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
