DETROIT -- Jason Grilli has picked up a lot of saves in his years as a closer, but none tougher than what he had to do against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Grilli came into the game in the bottom of the 11th inning with the Pittsburgh Pirates clinging to a 1-0 lead and the heart of Detroits order -- Torii Hunter, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder -- awaiting him. "Thats as good as it gets in any lineup in the game," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Thats why you have a closer." For Grilli, it also meant trying to finish a game at Comerica Park -- a stadium where he had been booed relentlessly at the end of his four-season stint with the Tigers. "I have nothing but great memories of this place," Grilli said. "This is where Jim (Leyland) turned me into a reliever, and despite what the media might think I love coming back here." If the situation or the setting bothered Grilli, it certainly didnt show. He struck out Hunter, Cabrera and Fielder in order, ending the game as the clock approached 11:30 p.m. "Thats a great offence, and Miguel Cabrera is probably the best hitter in baseball right now," Grilli said. "So I was trying to not make a big mistake, but you cant spend much time thinking about that. You just go out there and win the game." Grilli certainly impressed the first of his victims while posting his 21st save in as many chances. "I faced him when I was in Minnesota and he was here in Detroit, and hes a different pitcher now," Hunter said. "Hes smart and hes got a little deception going. He jumps out at you, and before you know it, the ball is gone." Leyland knows just how far Grilli has come since moving to the bullpen in 2006. "Hes found a home and hes found a role and hes been terrific," he said. "Thats 21-for-21, and to do that against the heart of our order -- thats impressive." Grilli finished what Jeanmar Gomez had started. Gomez matched a career best with seven shutout innings in a duel with Detroits Rick Porcello, who worked eight. "I was just feeling really good today," said Gomez, who threw only 73 pitches. "Every one of my pitches was working, so I was working ahead in the count and down in the zone. Thats what made it good." The game was scoreless until Neil Walker -- the brother-in-law of Tigers centre fielder Don Kelly -- homered off Jose Ortega (0-2) with one out in the top of the 11th. "Ive been swinging the bat really well on this road trip, and Ive been getting the barrel on the ball just about every night," Walker said. "That kid throws hard, but he kind of floated a slider into the strike zone and I was able to drive it." Mark Melanson (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless 10th inning for Pittsburgh. Porcello also matched a career best with his eight innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Porcello isnt the first Tigers pitcher to dominate Pittsburgh at Comerica Park. Last season, Justin Verlander took a no-hitter into the ninth against the Pirates, two days before Max Scherzer struck out 15 batters in a 4-3 victory. "Someone said to me today that we seem to strike out a lot in this ballpark," Hurdle said. "I told them to look at Detroits pitching staff. Everyone strikes out a lot against those guys." Gomez got some help from centre fielder Andrew McCutchen, who made a running catch to rob Andy Dirks of extra bases in the third inning and another to steal a double from Fielder in the seventh. Pedro Alvarez led off the eighth with a single and took second when Travis Snider walked -- the first time either team had put a runner into scoring position -- but Porcello got Clint Barmes to ground into an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the inning, Omar Infante got to second on a one-out throwing error by Barmes at shortstop. Reliever Justin Wilson retired pinch-hitter Brayan Pena on a ground ball, and struck out Dirks. Walker singled off Joaquin Benoit in the ninth, stole second and took third on Penas throwing error, but Garrett Jones flew out to end the threat. Victor Martinez almost ended the deadlock in the bottom of the ninth, but Starling Marte made a running catch of his liner at the fence in left. Both teams put runners into scoring position in the 10th, but couldnt get a run across until Walkers no-doubt homer in the 11th. "We had chances in the eighth, ninth and 10th, but we couldnt get the big hit," Hurdle said. "We finally got that in the 11th." NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 1:13 by rain. ... The Pirates placed Jose Contreras (low back inflammation) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled reliever Bryan Morris from Triple-A Indianapolis. ... The Tigers have struck out 10 or more batters 28 times -- the second-highest total in franchise history behind last seasons 50. Detroit is currently on pace for 91 double-digit games. ... 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Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Kawhi Leonard ripped the ball away from Ben McLemore and drove the other way for a three-point play. Then the next time down the court, Leonard grabbed it away from McLemore and scored on the other end.Those two plays turned the momentum San Antonios way and sent the Spurs home with a very successful season-opening trip following a 102-94 victory over the Kings on Thursday night that spoiled the regular season opener at Sacramentos new downtown arena.He took two away in a row and said, `Gimme that. He just grabbed it away from whoever it was, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. He just grabbed it and took it twice in a row. I dont see many people doing that.Few people are doing what Leonard is early this season. After scoring a career-high 35 points to go with five steals in a 129-100 season-opening win at Golden State on Tuesday night, Leonard had 30 points and five steals against the Kings.Leonard is the first player to put together back-to-back 30-point, five-steal games since Eddie Jones did it for Miami in December 2002.You see players play at an extremely high level on offense, but this guys does it on both ends, teammate Pau Gasol said. Its hard to say where hes more exceptional. Hes a very special player.Leonard helped dampen the excitement for the first regular season game at the new arena on an emotional night as fans remembered how close the franchise was to moving to Seattle before Vivek Ranadive bought the team in 2013 and reached a deal to build the arena.It didnt end as well despite a strong night from DeMarcus Cousins, who led Sacramento with 37 points and 16 rebounds.As much as this city has fought, the fans were more than deserving of this night, Cousins said. I wished we could have sealed the deal with a win.The Kings built a nine-point lead midway through the third period before Leonard and tthe Spurs put it away.dddddddddddd San Antonio went on a 16-2 run and held Sacramento without a basket for the final 7:20 of the period to take a 76-71 lead into the fourth.The Kings missed nine straight shots and Leonard then had the steals from McLemore.I just tried to do something for us, lighting up our defense a little bit, Leonard said.The Spurs built the lead to 10 points early in the fourth quarter before Cousins and Arron Afflalo made two baskets each in a 12-2 run that tied the game.But San Antonio pulled away late for the win.TIP-INSSpurs: The last San Antonio player with at least 30 points and five steals in consecutive games was Alvin Robertson in 1986. ... LaMarcus Aldridge scored 16 for San Antonio and reserves David Lee and Dewayne Dedmon added 12 apiece.Kings: Rudy Gay had 17 points but shot just 3 for 10. ... Sacramento shot 40 percent for the game. ... The Kings have lost seven straight to the Spurs.OPENING NIGHTThere were many luminaries on hand for the arena opening. Former Kings great Chris Webber sat next to Ranadive at courtside, Commissioner Adam Silver and his predecessor were in attendance, as well as several politicians integral in getting the arena built, most notably Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.I think its a borderline miracle from where we were in 2013 to be here in 2016, a year earlier than they originally pledged to have an arena done, Silver said. To be done, to be here on opening night with the building completely finished with strong local ownership, its everything a league could hope for.UP NEXTSpurs: Play New Orleans in their home opener on Saturday.Kings: Host Minnesota on Saturday in a matchup of two of the leagues top big men in Cousins and Karl-Anthony Towns. ' ' '