The 2025 MLB season has its first walk-off, courtesy of the Miami Marlins.
On Opening Day, the Marlins defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on a game-winning single to right field off of the bat of outfielder Kyle Stowers at loanDepot park on Thursday. Facing 2024 National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, Miami scratched a run across the board in the bottom of the third inning, but didn't plate another off the ace right-hander until the sixth frame.
Then, with Skenes out of the game and trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the 8th inning, the Marlins mounted a rally against the Pirates bullpen. And Stowers, who worked a leadoff walk, then came around to score on an RBI single by second baseman Otto Lopez before right fielder Dane Myers tied the game with another base hit.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, a leadoff triple from catcher Nick Fortes started the rally, and Stowers, after Pirates closer David Bednar intentionally walked shortstop Xavier Edwards, won the game with a single to right.
The game pitted a budding ace in Skenes against '22 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, and the two pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts, though neither pitched longer than 5 1/3 innings. The two clubs will take to the diamond again for the second game in the series on Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET.
