In the season opener, the Texas Rangers secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs with a walk-off RBI single from Jonah Heim in the 10th inning. The Rangers, who were celebrating their World Series championship, got off to a strong start with home runs from Adolis García and Travis Jankowski. Before the game, the team unveiled their first championship banner, setting the stage for an exciting win.
The game took a dramatic turn in the ninth inning when Jankowski hit a game-tying pinch-hit homer, erasing the lead that the Cubs had taken earlier in the inning. Drew Smyly, the Cubs’ seventh pitcher of the game, found himself in a tight spot as he walked two batters to load the bases for Heim. Despite this setback, Smyly was able to keep his composure and delivered a fastball that caught Heim off guard. The result was a sharp line drive into right-center field that scored Garrett Hampson and gave Texas their first lead of the day.
The victory was particularly sweet for the Rangers after All-Star catcher Heim was involved in a controversial play earlier in the top of