Kameron Misner's 9th-inning homer lifts Rays over Rockies 3-2 in Steinbrenner Field opener

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Rookie Kameron Misner led off the ninth inning with his first major league home run, giving Tampa Bay a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday as the Rays began their season of home games at Steinbrenner Field.

Misner, a 27-year-old rookie who debuted in August, entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth and became the first player in major league history to hit his first big league home run for a walk-off on opening day, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He drove a first-pitch fastball from Victor Vodnik (0-1) over the right-field wall for his second big league hit.

Pete Fairbanks (1-0) worked around two walks in the ninth for the win.

Tampa Bay is playing at the New York Yankees' spring training home after Hurricane Milton destroyed the Tropicana Field roof on Oct. 9.

Kyle Freeland struck out seven in six scoreless innings for the Rockies, coming off their sixth straight losing season. Freeland threw 53 of 67 pitches for strikes, starting his first eight batters with strikes and 15 of 20 overall.

Tampa Bay tied the score in the seventh on Jonathan Aranda's sacrifice fly and José Caballero's RBI single against Tyler Kinley.

Tampa Bay last year ended a streak of five straight postseason appearances.

Ezequiel Tovar hit an RBI double in the third and Kyle Farmer a sacrifice fly in the fourth against Ryan Pepiot, who gave up two runs — one earned — and six hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and a walk.

Mickey Moniak made his Rockies debut as a pinch runner in the ninth and was caught stealing.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh, the Rays asked for a video review when plate umpire Mark Wegner ruled Curtis Mead was not hit by a pitch near his elbow guard. The call was upheld and Mead grounded into a forceout.

Steinbrenner Field has the same dimensions as Yankee Stadium: 318 feet down the left-field line, 399 in left-center, 408 in center, 385 in right-center and 314 in right.

Rays RHP Zack Littell (0-0) was inserted into the rotation following an injury to Shane McClanahan and starts Saturday against Colorado RHP Anthony Senzatela (0-0).

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Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash watches betting practice before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays fans pick up schedule magnets ars they enter Steinbrenner Field before a baseball game between the Rays and the Colorado Rockies Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black and Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash shakes hands during player introductions before a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Colorado Rockies' Kyle Freeland goes into his windup against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

A sell out crowd watches during the second inning of a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Colorado Rockies at Steinbrenner Field Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Ryan Pepiot delivers to the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Colorado Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Ryan Pepiot follows through on a pitch to the Colorado Rockies during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Kameron Misner, second from right, celebrates with Christopher Morel, left, Jonny DeLuca and Junior Caminero after hitting a walk-off home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Victor Vodnik during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday fired off another warning to the government of Cuba as the close ally of Venezuela braces for potential widespread unrest after Nicolás Maduro was deposed as Venezuela's leader.

Cuba, a major beneficiary of Venezuelan oil, has now been cut off from those shipments as U.S. forces continue to seize tankers in an effort to control the production, refining and global distribution of the country's oil products.

Trump said on social media that Cuba long lived off Venezuelan oil and money and had offered security in return, “BUT NOT ANYMORE!”

“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!” Trump said in the post as he spent the weekend at his home in southern Florida. “I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.” He did not explain what kind of deal.

The Cuban government said 32 of its military personnel were killed during the American operation last weekend that captured Maduro. The personnel from Cuba’s two main security agencies were in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, as part of an agreement between Cuba and Venezuela.

“Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years,” Trump said Sunday. “Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will.”

Trump also responded to another account’s social media post predicting that his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, will be president of Cuba: “Sounds good to me!” Trump said.

Trump and top administration officials have taken an increasingly aggressive tone toward Cuba, which had been kept economically afloat by Venezuela. Long before Maduro's capture, severe blackouts were sidelining life in Cuba, where people endured long lines at gas stations and supermarkets amid the island’s worst economic crisis in decades.

Trump has said previously that the Cuban economy, battered by years of a U.S. embargo, would slide further with the ouster of Maduro.

“It’s going down,” Trump said of Cuba. “It’s going down for the count.”

A person watches the oil tanker Ocean Mariner, Monrovia, arrive to the bay in Havana, Cuba, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)