This day in Braves history: Braves pick up a pair of big NLDS wins
Braves Franchise History
1948: In the opening game of the World Series, the Boston Braves beat Bob Feller and Cleveland, 1-0, with only two hits and the benefit of a disputed call on a pick-off attempt in the eighth inning by Feller.
1957: In Game 4 of the World Series, the Yankees are down, 4-1, with two outs in the top of the ninth when Elston Howard slugs a tying three-run homer off Warren Spahn of the Braves. The Yankees take the lead in the 10th on Hank Bauer’s triple off Spahn, and are about to go up 3-1 in the series, but Milwaukee rallies in controversial fashion. Nippy Jones leads off the bottom of the 10th and takes Tommy Byrne’s low pitch for a ball, but he argues that the ball hit him on the foot. He shows home plate umpire Augie Donatelli a smudge of shoe polish on the ball, and Donatelli reverses his call. Two batters later, Johnny Logan ties the game with a double off Bob Grim, then Eddie Mathews blasts a walk-off two-run homer to tie the series, which the Braves will win in seven games.
1969: The New York Mets defeat the Atlanta Braves, 7-4, at Shea Stadium in Game 3 of the NLCS to clinch the pennant
2013: The Dodgers are also a win away from winning their Division Series after beating up the Braves, 13-6. The Dodgers score 10 runs between the second and fourth innings to break the game wide open despite a shaky start by Hyun-Jin Ryu. Carl Crawford and Juan Uribe homer, Hanley Ramirez has a double and a triple, and Yasiel Puig has three hits as the Dodgers’ batters overwhelm Braves starter Julio Teheran.
2019: Trailing 1-0 entering the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS, the Braves pull off a comeback with two outs, when Dansby Swanson doubles and Adam Duvall singles against Carlos Martinez, driving in three runs. Mark Melancon then picks up the save as Atlanta takes a 2-1 lead in the series.
2020: The Braves defeat the Marlins, 9-5, in Game 1 of their Division Series, in a game in which both teams have a big inning; however, the Marlins’ three-run third is no match for the Braves’ six runs in the 7th, highlighted by homers from Travis d’Arnaud and Dansby Swanson.
MLB History
1945: A goat and its owner make an appearance at Wrigley Field for Game 4 of the World Series. The pair is told to leave before the game ends, angering the owner. The Chicago Cubs lose to the Detroit Tigers, 4-1. Detroit will go on to win the Series in seven games and the Cubs won’t win another National League championship for the rest of the 20th century. A belief that the Cubs were cursed by the goat will eventually develop.
1966: Jim Palmer, at age 20, becomes the youngest pitcher with a World Series shutout as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-0. Sandy Koufax is the loser in his last appearance in the major leagues. Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis commits three errors on successive plays in the 5th inning.
1985: New York Yankees pitcher Phil Niekro becomes the 18th 300-game winner as he blanks the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-0, on the last day of the season. At age 46, Niekro also becomes the oldest pitcher to throw a shutout in major league history; he will eventually be passed by Jamie Moyer on May 7, 2010.
