A streak that started in Milwaukee continues in Atlanta
Braves Franchise History
1947: Johnny Mize of the New York Giants becomes the first major leaguer to hit three home runs in a game on five different occasions. Mize hits his trio off Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves, but in spite of his barrage, the Giants lose to the Braves, 14-5.
1966: The Atlanta Braves establish a major league record by winning their 18th consecutive home game over the New York Mets. The first 16 wins of the streak had actually occurred in Milwaukee, the Braves’ home in previous seasons. They’ll add one more win tomorrow in the opening game of a doubleheader before losing the nitecap.
2011: The Braves complete their first sweep of the Giants in San Francisco since 1998 with a 9-6 win in ten innings. Nate McLouth hits a two-run single off Brian Wilson to place the Braves ahead. Atlanta also beat last postseason’s heroes, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner, during the three-game series.
Photo By Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
2012: Chipper Jones homers on his 40th birthday (off Aaron Harang) as the Braves beat the Dodgers, 4-3. He becomes the fifth player in major league history to do this, following Bob Thurman, Joe Morgan, Wade Boggs and Tony Phillips.
Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
2013: The Rockies continue to surprise, today beating the Braves, owners of the major leagues’ best record, with a 12-inning, 6-5 win. The Rockies rally to tie the game against closer Craig Kimbrel on Dexter Fowler’s two-out double in the bottom of the 9th, and Yorvit Torrealba, playing 1B because the Rox have used all of their substitutes, drives in Wilin Rosario with a single off Luis Ayala with two outs in the bottom of the 12th to end the game.
MLB History
1901: Three rain postponements give Chicago the honor of hosting the first major league game in American League history (the circuit played as a minor league in 1900). At South Side Park, a crowd of over 10,000 fans attends the game to see pitcher Roy Patterson take the win for the Chicago White Sox over the the visiting Cleveland Blues, 8 – 2. Clark Griffith manages Chicago.
2001: The American League celebrates its 100th anniversary as a major league.
2013: David Ortiz breaks Harold Baines’ record for games played at Designated Hitter (1,644); Ortiz already held records for hits, homers and RBI as a DH. Ortiz goes 0 for 1 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch before leaving early in a 12-5 Boston loss to the Yankees.
2015: Rumors emerge that the Rangers have reached a tentative deal with the Angels to acquire troubled OF Josh Hamilton. Hamilton left Texas after the 2012 season to sign a five-year deal worth $125 million, but has not been as productive a player since the deal and suffered a relapse of dependency problems. He has yet to play a game this season.
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.