<img alt="John Smoltz" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VYFVWM3uYJnPb1afftdSt2oHZlY=/220x543:1925x1680/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73628799/1787498.0.jpg">
Good times and great memories in Houston for John Smoltz. Braves franchise history
1957: In Game 2 of the World Series, Lew Burdette wins the first of his three decisions against the Yankees. Burdette and the Milwaukee Braves beat Bobby Shantz 4-2
1997: The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins both sweep their respective NL Division Series. The Braves, behind a three-hitter by John Smoltz, complete the sweep of Houston with a 4-1 win. The Marlins ride a grand slam by Devon White to a 6-2 win and sweep of San Francisco.
2000: Against the Braves, Cardinals rookie starter Rick Ankiel sets a modern-day major league record by uncorking five wild pitches in the 3rd inning of Game 1 of the NLDS. The left-hander joins Buffalo’s Bert Cunningham, who accomplished the same feat in the 1st inning in an 1890 Players League contest. St. Louis still pulls off the win, 7-5.
2013: The Dodgers take Game 1 of the other NLDS as Clayton Kershaw strikes out 12 Braves batters in seven innings in a 6-1 win. Adrian Gonzalez hits a two-run homer off loser Kris Medlen.
2019: In the other Division Series, the game is tied 3-3 in the top of the 9th when St. Louis scores four runs against Braves closer Mark Melancon on two-run doubles by Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong. Closer Carlos Martinez makes things interesting in the bottom of the inning by allowing a two-run homer to Ronald Acuna and a solo one to Freddie Freeman before recording the final two outs of a wild 7-6 win.
MLB history
1909: With the National League pennant already decided, today’s game between the Pirates and Cubs is still remarkable as it is the first time in major league history that two teams with 100 or more wins have met on the field. It will happen again a few times in the postseason in future years, but not in the regular season until the first game of the three-game playoff between the Giants and Dodgers on October 1, 1962.
1974: Frank Robinson becomes the first black manager in the major leagues, as the Cleveland Indians name him to replace Ken Aspromonte for the 1975 season.
1990: George Brett of the Kansas City Royals becomes the first player in major league history to win a batting title in three different decades. Brett goes 1 for 1 in Kansas City’s 5 - 2 loss to the Cleveland Indians to win the American League batting title with a .329 average. Brett also won AL batting titles in 1976 and 1980.
1990: Willie McGee becomes the first major league player to win a batting title in a league in which he didn’t finish the season. McGee, who had a .335 average when St. Louis traded him to Oakland on August 28th, wins his second National League batting crown when Eddie Murray of the Dodgers and Dave Magadan of the New York Mets fail to catch him on the season’s final day, finishing at .330 and .328 respectively.
2009: The Toronto Blue Jays fire General Manager J.P. Ricciardi with one year left on his contract. 32-year-old Alex Anthopoulos, a Canadian who began his career as an unpaid intern with the late Montreal Expos, takes over the job.
<img alt="Toronto Blue Jays action" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yRnETWioSg5aX-mcToedwicwhiE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25655887/171482382.jpg">
Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images
2015: Max Scherzer of the Nationals pitches his second no-hitter of the season, 2-0 over the Mets, also striking out 17 batters. Only an error by SS Yunel Escobar keeps him from a perfect game. He is only the fifth pitcher, and the first since Nolan Ryan in 1973, to throw two no-hitters in a season, and his game score of 104 is the highest since Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout performance in 1998. The 17 Ks set a new Nationals team record, and tie Ryan’s record for most in a no-hitter.
2022: Tony LaRussa officially announces his retirement as manager of the White Sox. He had to step down suddenly on August 31st on orders from his doctors due to concerns over his heart pacemaker, and never returned. Bench coach Miguel Cairo has been guiding the team in the interim.
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.
<img alt="John Smoltz" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VYFVWM3uYJnPb1afftdSt2oHZlY=/220x543:1925x1680/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73628799/1787498.0.jpg">
Good times and great memories in Houston for John Smoltz. Braves franchise history
1957: In Game 2 of the World Series, Lew Burdette wins the first of his three decisions against the Yankees. Burdette and the Milwaukee Braves beat Bobby Shantz 4-2
1997: The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins both sweep their respective NL Division Series. The Braves, behind a three-hitter by John Smoltz, complete the sweep of Houston with a 4-1 win. The Marlins ride a grand slam by Devon White to a 6-2 win and sweep of San Francisco.
2000: Against the Braves, Cardinals rookie starter Rick Ankiel sets a modern-day major league record by uncorking five wild pitches in the 3rd inning of Game 1 of the NLDS. The left-hander joins Buffalo’s Bert Cunningham, who accomplished the same feat in the 1st inning in an 1890 Players League contest. St. Louis still pulls off the win, 7-5.
2013: The Dodgers take Game 1 of the other NLDS as Clayton Kershaw strikes out 12 Braves batters in seven innings in a 6-1 win. Adrian Gonzalez hits a two-run homer off loser Kris Medlen.
2019: In the other Division Series, the game is tied 3-3 in the top of the 9th when St. Louis scores four runs against Braves closer Mark Melancon on two-run doubles by Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong. Closer Carlos Martinez makes things interesting in the bottom of the inning by allowing a two-run homer to Ronald Acuna and a solo one to Freddie Freeman before recording the final two outs of a wild 7-6 win.
MLB history
1909: With the National League pennant already decided, today’s game between the Pirates and Cubs is still remarkable as it is the first time in major league history that two teams with 100 or more wins have met on the field. It will happen again a few times in the postseason in future years, but not in the regular season until the first game of the three-game playoff between the Giants and Dodgers on October 1, 1962.
1974: Frank Robinson becomes the first black manager in the major leagues, as the Cleveland Indians name him to replace Ken Aspromonte for the 1975 season.
1990: George Brett of the Kansas City Royals becomes the first player in major league history to win a batting title in three different decades. Brett goes 1 for 1 in Kansas City’s 5 - 2 loss to the Cleveland Indians to win the American League batting title with a .329 average. Brett also won AL batting titles in 1976 and 1980.
1990: Willie McGee becomes the first major league player to win a batting title in a league in which he didn’t finish the season. McGee, who had a .335 average when St. Louis traded him to Oakland on August 28th, wins his second National League batting crown when Eddie Murray of the Dodgers and Dave Magadan of the New York Mets fail to catch him on the season’s final day, finishing at .330 and .328 respectively.
2009: The Toronto Blue Jays fire General Manager J.P. Ricciardi with one year left on his contract. 32-year-old Alex Anthopoulos, a Canadian who began his career as an unpaid intern with the late Montreal Expos, takes over the job.
<img alt="Toronto Blue Jays action" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yRnETWioSg5aX-mcToedwicwhiE=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25655887/171482382.jpg">
Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images
2015: Max Scherzer of the Nationals pitches his second no-hitter of the season, 2-0 over the Mets, also striking out 17 batters. Only an error by SS Yunel Escobar keeps him from a perfect game. He is only the fifth pitcher, and the first since Nolan Ryan in 1973, to throw two no-hitters in a season, and his game score of 104 is the highest since Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout performance in 1998. The 17 Ks set a new Nationals team record, and tie Ryan’s record for most in a no-hitter.
2022: Tony LaRussa officially announces his retirement as manager of the White Sox. He had to step down suddenly on August 31st on orders from his doctors due to concerns over his heart pacemaker, and never returned. Bench coach Miguel Cairo has been guiding the team in the interim.
Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.
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