One man’s ill fortune became another man’s treasure.
Such was the course of events on Friday in the season opener for the Tampa Bay Rays. In a game in which Colorado Rockies’ starter Kyle Freeland was cruising but abruptly taken out by manager Bud Black after only 67 pitches and six solid innings of work, the Rays took clear advantage in the subsequent minutes and dramatically addressed their destiny.
Then again, injuries and in-game strategy dropped Rays’ outfielder Kameron Misner into the history books and his walk-off home run, leading off the ninth inning, gave Tampa Bay a rather spectacular 3-2 win over the Rockies before 10,046, designated as a sell-out at George Steinbrenner Field.
Several days ago, Misner was one of the last cuts from spring training and optioned to Durham, the Rays’ AAA affiliate. As quickly as the 27 year-old from Poplar Bluff, Mo. became settled, he was recalled by the Rays and that’s because outfielder Richie Palacious went on the injured list with a right ring finger fracture.
On the bench for most of the opener, Misner quickly grabbed his glove and went out to left field in the eighth inning. Replacing Christopher Morel, who was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh, Misner entered the game and utilized manager Kevin Cash’s bench strength.
With that substitution, Misner climbed into the annals of major league baseball by slamming the first pitch he saw from Colorado reliever Victor Vodnick into the right field stands. That homer was the first in the history of the game in which a player hit a walk-off homer as his first major league home run.
“Going into the game, my role is just be ready and it was the same in spring training,” Misner said into a thicket of microphones and notebooks. “I was able to be ready today, and it paid off. I hit a cutter, maybe. It was something hard and in, and I went after that. I was watching the ball and hoping it would go out, but you never know. The wind was swirling, and I knew I hit it pretty good. Just kind of hoping.”
If Misner delivered the dramatics coming off the bench, the two runs scored previously to tie the game were delivered by players who did not start.
Down by that 2-0 and behind a strong effort from Freeland, the Rays clearly took advantage. That’s when Black went to his bullpen in the seventh and called upon Tyler Kingley. A sacrifice fly by from pinch hitter Jonathan Aranda and an RBI single off the bat of Jose Caballero, who replaced an injured Josh Lowe in right field, delivered the game-tying single.
Then, the opening day spotlight gleamed directly upon Misner. Misner’s homer was the first HR in major league history that was the player’s first major league home and a walk-off on opening day.
“(Misner) had a little time to think about it while he was on defense and what he was going to do,” said Cash. “He was committed to swinging. He got a pitch he could handle and knocked it out. It was a weird day, with a strong wind and everything, and I’m super pumped for Kam Misner. Our dugout erupted, and we love the guy so much.”
In the trainer’s room … during the fifth inning at the plate, right fielder Josh Lowe singled to right but, in the process, suffered a right oblique discomfort. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI, and Cash believes the veteran outfielder could be lost for some time. “I felt something the pitch before (that fifth inning single),” he told reporters in a subdued voice. “It’s just frustrating, you know. I did that so many times this spring where I swung at this pitch and felt fine. For some reason, for this to happen (Friday), I really don’t have words for this. It sucks, but I’ll get through this.”
The opening series of the season continues … on Saturday and game two of the season, the Rays send righthander Zack Littell to the hill and he is opposed by veteran righthander Antoinio Senzatela, In the series finale on Sunday, look for righthander Taj Bradley to start for Tampa Bay and draw righthander Ryan Feltner as his mount opponent. Then, the Rays entertain the Pittsburgh Pirates for three before heading to Dallas and a three-game set with the Texas Rangers.
