2019 was fun, until it wasn’t
Braves franchise history
1917: After the Brooklyn Robins beat the Boston Braves, 5-1 in the first game of a doubleheader, Boston responds with a 4-2 victory in the nitecap. The 40-inning scoreless streak of Art Nehf ends when a walk followed by a single and a sacrifice fly in the 8th inning produces a run for Brooklyn. Nehf holds on for the victory over Leon Cadore and finishes the year at 17-8 for the sixth-place Braves. In the opener, Sherry Smith evens his season’s record, beating Jack Scott.
1958: In Game 3 of the World Series, New York Yankees pitchers Don Larsen and Ryne Duren combine for a shutout as New York wins, 4-0, over the Milwaukee Braves. Hank Bauer accounts for all four runs, including a two-run home run in the 7th inning.
1969: Major League Baseball holds its first league championship games. In the National League Championship Series, the New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves, 9-5, and the Baltimore Orioles defeat the Minnesota Twins, 4-3, in the American League Championship Series.
1995: In their NLDS, the Atlanta Braves defeat Colorado for the second straight day, 7-4, in a game featuring home runs by former Expo teammates Larry Walker of Colorado and Marquis Grissom of Atlanta.
2018: In the NLDS, the Dodgers defeat the Braves, 6-0, as Joc Pederson leads off the bottom of the 1st with a homer off Mike Foltynewicz and Max Muncy follows with a three-run shot in the 2nd. Hyun-Jin Ryu pitches seven innings for the win.
2019: In the NLDS, the Braves get a great outing from Mike Foltynewicz, who throws seven scoreless innings, to defeat St. Louis, 3-0, in Game 2. Jack Flaherty allows a 1st-inning run but also cruises along after that until surrendering a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Adam Duvall with two outs in the 7th. Mark Melancon, coming off a dreadful night in Game 1, picks up the save as the two teams are tied at one win apiece.
MLB History
1906: The Chicago Cubs win their 116th game of 152 played for a winning percentage (.763) that has not been matched since.
1972: Yankees pitcher Larry Gowell hits a double in his only major league at-bat. This is the last hit by an American League pitcher before the league adopts the Designated Hitter rule in 1973. The Yankees lose to the Milwaukee Brewers, 1-0.
2001: Tim Raines plays left field and his son Tim Jr. plays center in the Orioles’ 5-4 loss to Boston. They become the second father-son duo to play in the same game, matching the feat turned by Ken Griffey, Sr. and his son Ken Jr. for the Seattle Mariners. The Orioles acquired the senior Raines yesterday from the Montreal Expos.
2009: 51,000 fans turn out for what should be the final regular-season game to be played at the Metrodome, but the Twins extend their season with a 13-4 defeat of the Royals. Mid-season acquisition Carl Pavano picks up the win, completing a remarkable comeback season that sees him go 14-12 after three nightmarish years with the New York Yankees, and Delmon Young hits two home runs. Combined with the Tigers’ 5-3 victory over the White Sox, highlighted by Ryan Raburn’s two long balls, the Twins’ win forces a one-game playoff that will be played in two days, as the dome is being used for a Monday night football game in the meantime.
2009: Alex Rodriguez sets an American League record with seven RBI in the 6th inning of the Yankees’ 10-2 win over the Rays, with homers off Wade Davis and Andy Sonnanstine – the second a grand slam. The Yankees complete the season with 243 home runs, a franchise record.
2015: Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers becomes the first pitcher since teammates Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in 2002 to strike out 300 batters in a season. He picks up seven K’s in an abbreviated start against the Padres to finish with 301.
2022: Aaron Judge sets a new American League record for most home runs in one season by hitting #62 off Jesus Tinoco in a 3-2 Yankees loss to the Rangers in the second game of a doubleheader at Globe Life Field. The blast comes as he is the first batter of the game, in the Yankees’ penultimate game this season.
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.