This Day in Braves History: John Smoltz strikes out 13

Braves Franchise History

1932 - The Red Sox split a doubleheader with the A’s in their final Sunday games played at Braves Field. With the ban on Sunday games at Fenway Park lifted, the Red Sox will play a Sunday game there on July 3.

1962 - Amado Samuel, Joe Torre and Joe Adcock all homer to help the Braves defeat the Cubs 11-9 at Wrigley Field. Ernie Banks returns to the lineup for the first time since being hit by a pitch four days earlier and homers three times in the loss.

1966 - Ron Santo continues to torment the Braves. His 10th inning home run gives the Cubs a 3-2 win over Atlanta. Santo hit a three-run shot the day before in the 12th inning to give Chicago an 8-5 win.

1969 - With the Braves leading the Mets 12-0, manager Lum Harris sends up Mike Lum to pinch-hit for Hank Aaron. Lum will respond with a double off of Al Jackson. It is just the third time in his career that Aaron was lifted for a pinch-hitter.

1976 - Joe Niekro homers off of his brother Phil Niekro to help the Astros to a 4-3 win over the Braves.

1984 - The Braves come back from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Cubs 7-4, but lose Bob Horner for the remainder of the season after he breaks his wrist while diving for a ball. Horner broke the same wrist in 1983 and missed 43 games.

1994 - The Braves trade Deion Sanders to the Reds in exchange for Roberto Kelly and minor league pitcher Roger Etheridge.

1996 - John Smoltz strikes out 13 in a complete game shutout of the Cubs. Smoltz goes 1-for-3 at the plate and drives in one of Atlanta’s two runs in the victory.

MLB History

1948 - Richie Ashburn hits an inside-the-park home run to lead off the game extending his hitting streak to 18 straight games. The homer was the first of his major league career but the Phillies fall to the Giants 7-1.

1952 - Willie Mays enters the army and the Giants proceed to drop eight of their next 10 games.

1965 - Dick Allen hits a home run that traveled an estimated 529 feet over the left CF roof at Connie Mack Stadium against Chicago.

1981 - Billy Martin is ejected for arguing balls and strikes and then throws two handfuls of dirt on home plate umpire Terry Cooney’s back. He will receive a seven-day suspension by American League president Lee MacPhail.

1989 - Mike Schmidt announces his retirement from Major League Baseball.

1993 - Three days after he was hit on the head by an eventual home run ball, Jose Canseco volunteers to pitch an inning in a 15-1 loss to the Red Sox. Canseco hurts his arm during the outing and will undergo season-ending elbow surgery.

2010 - Roy Halladay pitches the 20th perfect game in major league history striking out 11 while the Phillies beat the Marlins 1-0.

Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.