Juan Soto made epic MLB history to topple hated Astros in Yankees debut

Opening Day for New York Yankees fans ended up being a thrilling experience, but you better believe the Bombers made it difficult. Nestor Cortes' command was way off to start the game and the bats failed to deliver in meaningful moments.

But eventually, the Yankees broke down the Astros' pitching staff, and Juan Soto got the rally started with an RBI single with the bases loaded as the Yankees trailed 4-0. Then Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch and Anthony Volpe drew a walk. Two more runs scored. All of a sudden it was 4-3 despite the Yankees only registering one hit after loading the bases three times in consecutive innings.

An Oswaldo Cabrera homer in the sixth tied it. Alex Verdugo's sac fly in the seventh made it 5-4. So it all came down to shaky Clay Holmes in the ninth.

Of course, it wasn't easy. Holmes gave up a single to the No. 9 hitter, which turned the order over to Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker. With runners on first and second, Tucker ripped a single into right field, and it felt as if the house of cards was about to come crashing down.

But Soto made a magnificent play on the ball, charging it on a perfect angle, then unleashing a rocket to home plate to throw out the game-tying run. Holmes got Alex Bregman to ground out to end the game and preserve the win. That put Soto in the MLB history books.

Juan Soto made epic MLB history to topple hated Astros in Yankees debut

It's a bit of a cherry-picky stat, but anytime somebody accomplishes something for the first time since a rudimentary stat was invented, it's notable.

Though Soto only went 1-for-3 with a strikeout, he reached base three times and got hosed with a few bad calls by the home plate umpire, who rung him up on a ball for his only strikeout of the afternoon. Otherwise, his debut in pinstripes will quite literally be remembered forever given the circumstances.

Scenes from during the game in the dugout and after the victory on the field indicate Soto has bought all the way in for the 2024 season with New York.

The first impression that will hopefully influence a future monster extension is off to a good start -- an historic one, one might say.