Opening Day – Page 10 – Society for American Baseball Research

Opening Day
This page includes published SABR Games Project stories on Opening Day games (including home openers).

Alberto Castillo (Trading Card DB)

March 31, 1998: Mets beat Phillies on Opening Day on Alberto Castillo’s walk-off single in 14th inning

April 10, 1998: ‘Greatest Closing Act Ever Seen in a Fenway Opener’

Tino Martinez: Trading Card Database

April 10, 1998: Yankees, A’s combine for Yankee Stadium scoring record in home opener

Mike Hampton (MLB.COM)

March 29, 2000: Cubs top Mets in season opener at Japan’s Tokyo Dome

April 1, 2002: Big Unit matches the Big Train in Opening Day victory for Diamondbacks

March 31, 2003: Tampa Bay scores 5 runs in ninth inning to beat Red Sox on Opening Day

April 4, 2004: Red Sox stumble out of the gate against retooled Orioles

April 5, 2004: Beltran’s walk-off homer lifts Royals to Opening Day win

Joe Mauer (Trading Card DB)

April 5, 2004: In Joe Mauer’s debut, Twins win on walk-off home run by Shannon Stewart

Trading Card Database

April 6, 2004: Mets’ Kazuo Matsui homers on first pitch; Tom Glavine beats Braves on Opening Day

April 8, 2004: Padres walk off in first game at Petco Park

April 4, 2005: Rockies’ resilient rookies lead comeback on Opening Day

Mark Buehrle (Trading Card Database)

April 4, 2005: A magical season begins for White Sox (in under two hours)

Pedro Martinez (Trading Card DB)

April 4, 2005: Pedro Martinez makes his Mets debut; Reds rally for Opening Day win

April 4, 2005: Washington Nationals lose debut game to Phillies

April 5, 2005: Marlins exceed high expectations on Opening Day

The Boston Red Sox raise their 2004 World Series banner on the left-field wall at Fenway Park during their home opener on April 11, 2005. (Courtesy of Kurt Blumenau)

April 11, 2005: In home opener as reigning World Series champions, Red Sox rout Yankees

Livan Hernandez (THE TOPPS COMPANY)

April 14, 2005: ‘Baseball is back in Washington, DC!’ as Nationals win home opener

Tom Glavine (Trading Card DB)

April 1, 2007: Glavine, Mets turn the page in Opening Day win over World Series champion Cardinals

Elijah Dukes (Trading Card Database)

April 2, 2007: Elijah Dukes starts major-league career with a home run, but Yankees beat Devil Rays on Opening Day

April 6, 2007: Devil Rays score three in the ninth to beat Blue Jays in home opener

Daisuke Matsuzaka

March 25, 2008: Matsuzaka, Okajima book-end Opening Day win for Red Sox at the Tokyo Dome

March 30, 2008: Ryan Zimmerman sends D.C. fans home happy with walk-off homer in Nationals Park debut

April 12, 2010: Padres whip the Braves, 17-2, in home opener