For openers, Rays find playing outdoors in Tampa to be quite a hit

TAMPA — Over the last couple dozen years, as various stadium proposals rose and died, people would occasionally wonder what it would be like for the Rays to play outdoors on the Tampa side of town.

When the horrific circumstances of Hurricane Milton ravaging Tropicana Field forced the Rays to find a new home, and the rival Yankees, of all teams, offered to take them in, that opportunity was unexpectedly presented along Dale Mabry Highway.

A tremendous coordinated effort transformed the Yankees’ spring ballpark into the Rays’ place, setting the stage Friday’s historic season opener at Steinbrenner Field.

And, at least for this day, that turned out to be quite a show.

Rookie Kameron Misner had the biggest blow and the final bow with a walk-off homer on the first pitch of the ninth inning to give the Rays a 3-2 win and set off of a roaring celebration in the dugout and the stands.

“That,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said, “was pretty spectacular.”

There were so many things that were different on Friday from any of the Rays’ previous 27 home openers played at the Trop.

There was wind for hitters to deal with. Shadows. Glare requiring players and staff to wear sunglasses. A pre-game flyover. Post-game fireworks.

“It’s a lot going on,” Cash said.

What stood out, at least after the Rays rallied in the seventh from two down to tie, was the atmosphere created by the fans.

Though the official capacity of Steinbrenner Field under the Rays configuration is just 10,046, the intimacy of the stadium given the proximity of the seats to the field made it feel and sound like more.

“No one would expect it this way,” said infielder/outfielder Jose Caballero, who had a key hit in the seventh. “It’s amazing. I mean, first time outside, first time in, Tampa, we felt like we had support behind us, and the crowd was in the game. So we love that.”

To be fair, there have been many days over the past 27 years when the Trop roared as well. But not so much last year, and Caballero — who joined the team then — said Friday’s scene was special.

“I’m a fan of having a good crowd behind us and feeling like a home,” he said. “Like last year, sometimes it feels like it wasn’t that many people. (Friday), it felt like it was a full game, like it was 40,000 people behind us. It just feels great. …

“It feels like home. We are saying we’re trying to take this place as a home, and first time we go out like that, and we win the ballgame like this, it’s kind of a good start.”

After the buildup to the opener, and the pregame festivities, the first six innings didn’t actually go that well.

Ryan Pepiot, who stepped in for injured Shane McClanahan to handle the opening day assignment, pitched well, but the defense wasn’t crisp, the offense was quiet (including Josh Lowe leaving injured) and the Rays were down 2-0 through six.

Fans were quiet, and some got creative, including brief chants for principal owner Stuart Sternberg, who was in attendance, to sell the team.

But the vibe changed in the seventh against the Rockies bullpen.

A single by Brandon Lowe and a double by Junior Caminero, whose celebration fired up the fans, led to two runs. One on a sac fly to right by Jonathan Aranda, that the Rays though was going out until the wind knocked it down, the other on a Caballero single.

“We were kind of behind the beginning of the game, but when we started going, and the crowd started going with us, it’s great,” Caballero said. “It feels amazing. All the excitement that everyone brings is great. We were having a good time.”

After Pete Fairbanks got through a 26-pitch, two-walk, two-strikeout ninth thanks to a huge play by new catcher Danny Jansen throwing out a runner at second, the Rays soon had a better time.

Misner, a 27-year-old who made a brief and tough debut last August (1-for-15), was only on the roster because Richie Palacios got hurt, and only in the game because with Josh Lowe already sidelined he was their last outfield option after Aranda hit for Christopher Morel.

A few moments later, after swatting what he thought was a cutter from Victor Vodnik through the wind and over the rightfield fence, Misner was at the center of a wild celebration.

Being doused with Powerade. Posing with the fan who caught the ball, and wanted just the photo in return for giving it back. Telling his Missouri country boy life story and talking about his lucky ostrich boots. Making history as the first player whose first career home run was an opening day walk-off.

“It’s awesome,” Misner said.

The other Rays said more.

Pepiot called it “unbelievable … like a Hollywood movie script.”

Cash, who said Thursday that he wanted the place to be loud, said it could be even better — the start of something.

“We’re going to take it all in and appreciate it,” he said. “Happy that we put on a good show (Friday), I think, hopefully the fans continue coming out. … It got loud. Dugout got loud. Fans got loud. Let’s do it again.”

Up next

vs. Rockies, 4:10 Saturday, Steinbrenner Field, Tampa TV/radio: FanDuel Sports Sun; 95.3-FM, 620-AM

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