Atlanta Braves newcomer Dominic Smith made baseball history Saturday night, launching a walk-off grand slam that capped a remarkable six-run ninth inning comeback to defeat the Kansas City Royals 6-2.
Smith’s dramatic 386-foot blast to right-center field came with one out against Kansas City closer Carlos Estevez (0-1), who couldn’t preserve a 2-0 lead. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Smith became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit a walk-off grand slam in his debut with a new team.
The thrilling ninth-inning rally began when Drake Baldwin drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third on Matt Olson’s single, and came home on Mike Yastrzemski’s one-out single. Following Ozzie Albies’ walk, Jorge Mateo — running for Olson — crossed the plate with the tying run when Michael Harris II lined a single. Osvaldo Bido (1-0) earned the victory after striking out all three batters he faced in the ninth.
Kansas City had broken a scoreless deadlock in the seventh when Salvador Perez connected on a solo home run off Reynaldo Lopez’s first pitch, snapping the Royals’ 15-inning scoreless streak to begin the season. The blast marked Perez’s 304th career homer, putting him just 13 away from matching Hall of Famer George Brett’s franchise record.
Cardinals 6, Rays 5 (10 innings)
Rookie JJ Wetherholt delivered a clutch two-run single with one out in the 10th inning, propelling St. Louis to victory over visiting Tampa Bay. Jordan Walker opened the frame by drawing a four-pitch walk, placing runners on first and second. Victor Scott II executed a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance both runners before Wetherholt grounded the first pitch into right field for his first career walk-off hit. Griffin Jax (0-1) suffered the loss after failing to preserve the save in the 10th.
Cardinals closer Ryne Stanek (1-0) earned the victory despite surrendering the save in the ninth and allowing the go-ahead run in the 10th. Yandy Diaz had given Tampa a 5-4 advantage by singling home automatic runner Ben Williamson on the first pitch of the 10th inning.
Guardians 6, Mariners 5 (10 innings)
Chase DeLauter continued his hot streak with a two-run homer in the 10th inning, his third consecutive game with a long ball, as Cleveland defeated host Seattle. The Guardians broke a 3-3 deadlock when Brendon Donovan’s throwing error on Steven Kwan’s bunt allowed Brayan Rocchio to score from second base. DeLauter then crushed a 2-2 fastball from Andres Munoz (0-1) just over the left field wall for his fourth homer of the season.
Seattle’s Luke Raley answered with a two-run shot to center with one out in the bottom of the 10th, his third homer in three games, but right-hander Connor Brogdon struck out Leo Rivas and Cole Young to secure the save.
Reds 6, Red Sox 5 (11 innings)
Dane Myers drove home automatic runner TJ Friedl from second base with the decisive hit, leading host Cincinnati to a wild 11-inning victory over Boston. Sal Stewart homered and collected two RBIs, Elly De La Cruz belted his first homer of 2026, and Matt McLain contributed three hits as the Reds captured their first win of the season. Connor Phillips (1-0) struck out three and retired all five batters he faced in the 10th and 11th innings for the victory.
Trevor Story, who had homered earlier, lined into a double play to end the top of the 11th. Right-hander Justin Slaten (0-1) allowed the game-winning hit. Boston nearly avoided defeat when Wilyer Abreu homered in the ninth to tie the game at 5-all with the Red Sox down to their final out.
Rangers 5, Phillies 4 (10 innings)
Texas scored on a wild pitch and Andrew McCutchen’s RBI single in the 10th inning, then held on to defeat host Philadelphia. Corey Seager and Jake Burger launched early home runs for the Rangers, who squandered a 3-0 lead but recovered to give Skip Schumaker his first victory as their manager.
Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh delivered the game-tying hit in the ninth for a 3-3 deadlock. Trailing 5-3 with two outs in the bottom of the 10th, Bryce Harper singled in one run, but reliever Tyler Alexander got Alec Bohm to pop out to end the game.
Mets 4, Pirates 2 (11 innings)
Luis Robert Jr. crushed a walk-off three-run homer in the 11th inning for New York, which rallied from multiple deficits in extra innings to beat visiting Pittsburgh. Bryan Reynolds had given the Pirates the lead with an RBI infield single in the top of the 11th before the Mets responded against Hunter Barco (0-1). Jorge Polanco worked a five-pitch walk, setting up Robert’s 1-0 pitch that sailed beyond the left-center-field wall for his first homer with New York and second career walk-off shot.
Richard Lovelady (1-0) allowed an unearned run in the top of the 11th before earning his first major league victory since 2024. Luis Torrens had tied the game with an RBI single in the 10th for the Mets. Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales contributed an RBI single in the top of the 10th, while Gonzales, Reynolds, and Jake Mangum each collected two hits.
Blue Jays 8, Athletics 7 (11 innings)
Ernie Clement stroked an RBI single in the 11th inning as host Toronto rallied to defeat Oakland. Clement’s hit off Luis Medina (0-1) gave the Blue Jays their second consecutive walk-off victory to start the season. Spencer Miles (1-0) made his major league debut in the 11th inning and worked around a walk to earn the win.
Shea Langeliers connected on his third career grand slam in the seventh inning to give Oakland a 6-2 advantage. Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk tied the game at six with a one-out solo homer in the ninth. Oakland’s Brent Rooker delivered an RBI single in the 10th, but the Blue Jays answered with Addison Barger’s sacrifice fly in the home 10th.
Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 2
Will Smith launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning as the two-time defending champion Los Angeles completed a three-game, season-opening sweep with a victory over visiting Arizona. Freddie Freeman collected three hits, including an RBI double, starter Tyler Glasnow delivered six strong innings, and new Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz recorded his second save in two nights.
Corbin Carroll contributed a hit, an RBI, and a run scored, while Venezuela’s World Baseball Classic hero Eduardo Rodriguez allowed an unearned run over five-plus innings in a no-decision for Arizona.
Cubs 10, Nationals 2
Miguel Amaya and Ian Happ homered while right-hander Cade Horton pitched effectively into the seventh inning in a dominant season debut as host Chicago routed Washington. The Cubs out-hit the Nationals 9-4, with Amaya collecting two hits and two RBIs while Pete Crow-Armstrong added two hits. Horton (1-0) cruised with the offensive support, allowing two runs and four hits over 6 1/3 innings with one walk and four strikeouts.
Horton was perfect through three innings before James Wood connected on a solo home run for Washington’s only extra-base hit. Chicago pounded right-hander Miles Mikolas in his Nationals debut, tagging the veteran for six runs (four earned) and six hits in five innings. Mikolas (0-1) walked three and struck out four.
Twins 4, Orioles 1
Royce Lewis launched a two-run home run as Minnesota earned its first victory under first-year manager Derek Shelton by defeating host Baltimore. Six Minnesota pitchers combined on a five-hitter while striking out 16 batters and walking six. Anthony Banda (1-0) earned the victory with two-thirds of an inning of relief, while Cole Sands worked the ninth and was credited with a save.
Baltimore stranded 11 runners, with Jeremiah Jackson collecting two hits for the Orioles. Minnesota starter Taj Bradley struck out nine in 4 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits before finishing after 92 pitches. Orioles starter Kyle Bradish (0-1) lasted 4 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on two hits.
Brewers 6, White Sox 1
Chad Patrick pitched effectively into the fifth inning and Brice Turang doubled twice to lead Milwaukee past visiting Chicago for its second straight victory. Aaron Ashby (1-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Patrick allowed one run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. Garrett Mitchell delivered a two-run single in a three-run first inning, and Christian Yelich went 3-for-5 with an RBI hit.
Munetaka Murakami homered for the second consecutive game, a 409-foot leadoff shot in the fourth inning off Patrick to pull Chicago within 4-1. Starter Sean Burke (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits over four innings.
Astros 11, Angels 9
Yainer Diaz and Jake Meyers each drove in two runs during an eight-run sixth inning for Houston, which rallied from a six-run deficit to beat visiting Los Angeles. The Astros scored all eight runs with two outs. Isaac Paredes and Carlos Correa also contributed two RBIs apiece for Houston. Meyers, Correa, Yordan Alvarez, and Christian Walker each had two hits. Astros starter Cristian Javier lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and four hits with one strikeout and four walks. Kai-Wei Teng (1-0) threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory.
Oswald Peraza homered and singled twice, Jorge Soler and Nolan Schanuel also homered, and Mike Trout singled, walked twice, and scored two runs for the Angels, who were attempting to start 3-0 for the first time since winning their first five games in 2006.
Yankees 3, Giants 1
Aaron Judge homered in his second straight game and Ben Rice doubled in two runs as visiting New York beat San Francisco to complete a three-game series sweep. San Francisco put its first two batters on base in the ninth against David Bednar before Harrison Bader struck out and Patrick Bailey grounded into a double play. The Giants scored their first run of the season in the third when Jung Hoo Lee hit a leadoff double off Will Warren and scored on Matt Chapman’s single up the middle.
Bednar recorded his second save in as many games for the Yankees, who outscored the Giants 13-1 in the series and turned four inning-ending double plays in the finale. Jake Bird (1-0), one of four New York relievers, earned the victory with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Padres 3, Tigers 0
Randy Vasquez fired six shutout innings as host San Diego beat Detroit and avoided a season-opening, three-game sweep. Vasquez allowed just two hits, both to third baseman Cole Keith, while walking three and striking out eight, one shy of his career high. Kyle Hart followed with two perfect innings and Mason Miller worked the ninth to earn the save. It was the first win for Craig Stammen, the Padres’ first-year manager.
Jack Flaherty absorbed the loss for Detroit, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) over 4 1/3 innings. Flaherty walked four and struck out two.
Marlins 4, Rockies 3
Rookie Owen Caissie drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and Liam Hicks posted three RBIs as Miami rallied to defeat visiting Colorado. Pete Fairbanks, acquired as an offseason free agent, earned his second save in two games for the Marlins. Caissie, acquired in January from the Cubs as part of the package for Edward Cabrera, went 3-for-4 with a double, a steal, and one RBI. Hicks had a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly.
Colorado connected on two home runs: a two-run shot by Ezequiel Tovar and TJ Rumfield’s solo blast. Rumfield’s homer was the first of his major-league career in just his second game. Calvin Faucher (1-0) earned the win with one inning of scoreless relief, while Jaden Hill (0-1) took the loss, allowing one run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings.
