3 takeaways from Crew's Opening Day victory

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The Brewers started the 2024 season off right with a 3-1 Opening Day win over the Mets at Citi Field on Friday.

The big storyline was star prospect Jackson Chourio making his MLB debut at 20 years old -- and recording his first career hit, stolen base and RBI. But there was a lot more to watch in Game 1 for the defending National League Central champs.

Here are three observations from Opening Day.

1) Freddy Peralta pitched like an ace
Peralta, in the ace role for the first time, lived up to that billing in his first career Opening Day start.

He pitched six innings of one-run baseball to beat New York, allowing only one hit -- a solo homer to Starling Marte -- with eight strikeouts. Peralta retired the final 13 batters he faced.

Peralta recorded five strikeouts with his four-seam fastball, which averaged 94.2 mph and topped out at 97.1, and three K's with his slider.

His performance came a day after Corbin Burnes -- the ace he took over for in Milwaukee -- pitched an 11-strikeout gem for the Orioles in their season opener. So, did Peralta feel like he had to match his old teammate?

"A hundred percent," Peralta said. "I watched the game. He was looking awesome -- as always. … He knows that we are always looking. I'm sure he's probably, at some point, going to look at me, too."

2) Abner Uribe got the first crack at the saves
The Brewers were able to lock down their first tight game in the absence of closer Devin Williams, who is out multiple months with stress fractures in his back.

The late-inning relief lineup Milwaukee deployed: Trevor Megill in the seventh inning, Joel Payamps in the eighth and Uribe in the ninth.

All three relievers delivered scoreless innings to protect a narrow lead, with Megill and Payamps recording holds and Uribe picking up the save.

"Obviously it's not good that Devin's out," Uribe said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert. "We hope that he returns healthy as quickly as he possibly can. But in the time being, we're all just going to have to do our jobs."

Uribe said he was "extremely" excited to get the opportunity to close games -- and admitted that this temporary setup in Williams' absence lets him dream about the future, when he might be a full-time closer.

"Let's see what happens," Uribe said.

3) The stars set the example
Christian Yelich was the best hitter in Friday's game. The former MVP went 3-for-4 with a home run, the Brewers' first of the season.

Yelich's homer, the second Opening Day homer of his career after one in 2019, was a 108.7 mph frozen rope over the right-center-field fence.

"He's a top-end baseball player, and he takes pride in it," manager Pat Murphy said. "He's been a big part of Brewers success here, and he stepped up when we needed him today."

William Contreras didn't have a big day at the plate, but he made an impact behind it. Murphy praised the All-Star catcher's game-calling and ability to steer a Brewers staff with many pitchers in new roles to an Opening Day win.

Those pitchers -- Peralta, Megill, Payamps and Uribe -- combined for a one-hitter.

"William was the jockey today," Murphy said. "He handled the game as well as anyone can."

Contreras also made a heads-up play throwing behind DJ Stewart to pick him off first base in the second inning, making the throw down to first with a pop time of just 1.49 seconds.