We went to the Rays Opening Day game today. Hurricane damage to Tropicana Field has the team playing at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa this year. It’s a little strange, for sure, but also kind of awesome. It’s a very small stadium, which created a unique vibe for a MLB game.

The statute of George Steinbrenner outside the stadium appears to be life-sized, which is sort of odd. Makes it feel small, but maybe that’s the point.

The game was fantastic, too. The Rays struggled to create any offense for most of the game, falling behind 0-2 by the sixth inning. They finally got to the Rockies pitchers in the bottom of the seventh, tying the game (and leaving the bases loaded). Late pitching bent but didn’t break, and Kameron Misner hit a walk off home run on literally the first pitch in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Rays.

I think that’s the first MLB walk off win I’ve ever witnessed in person.

Great game. Great day.

The Yankees logo loomed large over a walkway to the side of the main entrance, but Yankees branding was otherwise barely visible. The Rays did a great job of making the place their own.