Kameron Misner‘s first career big-league homer proved to be historic as well as the difference Opening Day, giving the Tampa Bay Rays a 3-2 walk-off win over the Colorado Rockies.
Misner, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning, wasted no time in his first plate appearance of 2025, taking the first pitch he saw from Rockies reliever Victor Vodnik (0-1) — a 97 MPH fastball — and pulling it over the left field wall and into the bleachers at Steinbrenner Field.
Misner, who made it major league debut in 2024 and was just 1 for 15 in the big leagues, became the first player in Major League history to hit an Opening Day walk-off homer for his first career big league home run. He also joins Carl Crawford in franchise history to have an Opening Day walkoff blast.
“It was pretty spectacular,” manager Kevin Cash said after the game. “I think he was pretty committed to swinging, he got a pitch he thought he could handle, and he knocked it out.”
The Rays spotted the Rockies a two-run lead early, as Ryan Pepiot allowed an unearned run in the third on a double by Ezequiel Tovar, and an earned run an inning late thanks to a sacrifice fly by Kyle Farmer.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s bats wetre stymied by Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, who allowed just a pair of hits in six innings of work, striking out seven and throwing just 67 pitches.
But after Bud Black decided to go to the bullpen, the Rays struck. Tyler Kinley allowed a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to Jonathan Aranda, then a RBI single by Jose Caballero, who replaced Josh Lowe midway through the game due to injury, to tie the game.
Pete Fairbanks (1-0) walked a pair, but pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn the victory.
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
