Just 13 days after the death of his mother, designated hitter Dominic Smith delivered a 386-foot walk-off grand slam to give the Atlanta Braves a stunning 6-2 comeback victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
The bottom-of-the-ninth blast etched his name into the record books. He is now the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit a walk-off grand slam in his debut game with a new team, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Atlanta entered the final frame completely shut down by Kansas City pitching and trailing 2-0. The momentum shifted violently against Royals closer Carlos Estévez. Mike Yastrzemski and Michael Harris II sparked the rally with back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game. That set the stage for Smith. Facing a full 3-2 count with one out, he sent the pitch into the seats, sending shockwaves through the baseball world.
Dominic Smith hits walk-off grand slam as Braves rally past Royals 6-2 https://t.co/yqVCc4Jr9t pic.twitter.com/csRyCSRYeP
— The Rockdale Citizen (@rockdalecitizen) March 29, 2026
The milestone carried immense personal weight. Smith lost his mother, Yvette LaFleur, to cancer less than two weeks before Opening Day. He signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta in mid-February and struggled to find his footing while dealing with the family tragedy. After the game, Smith credited the Braves organization for their unwavering support during her illness. He told reporters he felt his mother’s presence running alongside him as he rounded the bases.