Christian Yelich has achieved plenty in his baseball career. He was a first-round MLB Draft pick, has played in All-Star Games, and won an MVP Award. But on Tuesday night in Milwaukee, he did something for the very first time. He hit a walk-off grand slam to give the Brewers a thrilling 5–1 win over the Boston Red Sox in extra innings.
It happened in the bottom of the 10th at American Family Field. The bases were loaded, and Yelich, who had been 0-for-3 earlier in the game, stepped up and delivered. The ball soared over the fence, sealing the victory and marking the first walk-off home run of his career.
“It was a weird feeling going around the bases knowing the game was over,” said Yelich. “I’ve never done that before.”
This was more than just a solo moment. Right fielder Sal Frelick helped set the stage. He threw out a runner at third early in the game and later hit a single to tie things up in the bottom of the ninth. That rally started with Yelich’s double off Aroldis Chapman, one of the most intimidating closers in baseball. Until then, no Brewers player had managed a hit off Chapman. The team had been a combined 0-for-17.
“As a lefty, you just stick your nose in there and try to make something happen,” said Yelich. “I hit it right off my thumbs over the third-base bag.”
With several of Milwaukee’s top relievers unavailable, the Brewers turned to left-hander Rob Zastryzny in the 10th. He got two key outs to keep the game tied, setting the scene for Yelich’s big moment.
“If I could trade spots with him and feel that hit, I would,” said Zastryzny. “But it still feels unbelievable.”
Brice Turang then singled and Jackson Chourio walked, loading the bases. That brought up Yelich, who delivered his sixth career grand slam and the Brewers’ first walk-off grand slam since 2021.
It also gave the team their first win of the season after trailing through eight innings, moving their record to 28–28.
“We’re just fighting, battling, trying to stack wins,” Yelich said. “It hasn’t been the smoothest season, but that’s baseball. Every season plays out differently.”
Earlier, the Red Sox had taken the lead without an RBI. The run came from a wild pitch in the sixth. Had that held, it would have been just the eighth time in Brewers history they lost without the other team driving in a run.
But by the end of the 10th, none of that mattered. Yelich stepped up and delivered a moment Milwaukee won’t soon forget.
GAME OVER ?
CHRISTIAN YELICH
WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/KHi9jfEN4H— MLB (@MLB) May 28, 2025
Photo: John Fisher/Getty Images
