To kick off the 2026 MLB season, the St. Louis Cardinals hosted the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day, setting the stage for an unforgettable start to the year.
In a thrilling comeback, the Cardinals, amidst their rebuilding phase, emerged victorious with a 9-7 win despite trailing 7-1 earlier in the game. The magic unfolded during an explosive sixth inning where history was made.
As Sarah Langs highlighted on social media, the Cardinals and Rays achieved something unseen since 1890, harking back to the days of the Boston Beaneaters and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms.
Here's what went down: The Rays put up six runs in the top of the sixth, only to be matched and surpassed by the Cardinals, who answered with an eight-run rally in the bottom half. This marked just the second time in MLB Opening Day history that both teams scored six or more runs in the same inning, a feat previously accomplished by the Beaneaters and Bridegrooms.
The historical parallel adds an intriguing layer to what was already a wild inning on paper. For fans of baseball history, this is a rare gem.
The Beaneaters, who evolved into today's Atlanta Braves, and the Bridegrooms, now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers, battled it out in 1890 with Boston coming out on top, 15-9. Interestingly, both the Beaneaters and Cardinals, as home teams, claimed victory in these high-scoring affairs.
Adding to the intrigue, the runs scored in both games mirrored each other: Boston and St. Louis each notched eight runs, while Brooklyn and Tampa Bay tallied six.
This rare occurrence on Opening Day, spanning over 136 years, underscores the fascinating and unpredictable nature of baseball's rich history.