NEW YORK — The buzz was real in the Bronx.
A new season. A revamped lineup. An Opening Day starter making his Yankees debut. The crowd at Yankee Stadium was ready to usher in a new era.
Instead, it was William Contreras who stole the spotlight.
Contreras homered and doubled, driving in three runs to power the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3–2 victory over the Yankees on Thursday night, spoiling the New York debut of left-hander Max Fried.
Contreras Delivers Early
Milwaukee wasted little time setting the tone. Contreras opened the scoring in the first inning and struck again in the third, launching a two-run homer that ultimately proved decisive. He finished 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs — accounting for all of the Brewers’ offense.
The early cushion was just enough for Milwaukee’s pitching staff to navigate a dangerous Yankees lineup that showed flashes but struggled to cash in.
Reliever Jared Koenig picked up the win after a clean inning-plus in relief, and Trevor Megill shut the door in the ninth for his first save of the season.
Fried Solid, But Not Untouchable
All eyes were on Fried, making his first start in pinstripes. The veteran left-hander was steady but not dominant, allowing three earned runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Aside from the damage done by Contreras, Fried largely settled in. He retired nine of 10 at one stretch and kept New York within striking distance. But on a night when the Yankees’ offense couldn’t quite break through, it wasn’t enough.
Yankees Show Fight Late
New York chipped away.
Oswaldo Cabrera led the charge with a 2-for-4 night and an RBI, while Cody Bellinger — making his Yankees debut — added an RBI of his own. Aaron Judge collected two hits but struck out in a key late at-bat as the Yankees tried to rally.
The Yankees pushed across single runs in the fifth and eighth innings, trimming the deficit to one. But with traffic on the bases in the final frames, they couldn’t deliver the tying blow.
Milwaukee’s bullpen combined to hold New York scoreless over the final three innings, stranding multiple runners and quieting a sellout crowd that had been waiting for a signature Opening Day moment.
By the Numbers
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Brewers: 3 runs, 6 hits, 1 error
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Yankees: 2 runs, 7 hits, 0 errors
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Contreras: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI
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Fried: 6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 K
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Judge: 2-for-5
The Takeaway
For Milwaukee, it was a crisp road win built on timely power and lockdown relief pitching.
For the Yankees, the ingredients are evident — depth, star power and a proven arm atop the rotation. But Opening Day served as a reminder that expectations don’t produce runs.
Not even in the Bronx.
Game 2 of the series continues Saturday, with New York looking to even things up and give the home crowd something to celebrate.