This day in the history of the Atlanta Braves: Jorge Soler starts the 2021 World Series with a home run

Braves franchise history

1991: The Atlanta Braves fall to the Twins 4-3 in 11 innings as Kirby Puckett does it all for Minnesota. Puckett prevented two runs in the third with a diving catch against the plexiglass in left-center. He then gave the Twins the lead with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Braves tied the game again, but Puckett tied it when he hit Charlie Leibrandt with a home run on the first pitch of the 11th, sending the series to a seventh game.

1995: Atlanta is eliminated in Game 5 while Cleveland holds on for a 5-4 win. Orel Hershiser allowed two runs over eight innings. Ryan Klesko hit a two-run home run off Jose Mesa in the ninth to cut the deficit to one.

1996: The Braves fall to the Yankees 3-2 in Game 6 as New York wins its 23rd World Series championship. [PERSONAL NOTE: I still cannot believe the Braves didn’t win this series and I’m not going to get over it. Ever.]

2021: Jorge Soler hits a home run on the first pitch of Game 1 and the Braves earn a 6-2 victory over the Astros. Adam Duvall added a two-run pitch in the third to give Atlanta a 5-0 lead.

MLB history

1935: The Red Sox acquire shortstop Joe Cronin from the Senators in exchange for Lyn Lary and cash. Cronin drove in 95 runs in 1935 and spent the next 11 seasons with the Red Sox.

1940: Hank Greenberg is named American League MVP after hitting .340 with 41 home runs and 150 RBI. Bob Feller of Cleveland is second.

1950: Phil Rizzuto is named American League MVP.

1950: Walter O'Malley succeeds Branch Rickey as president of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

1982: Steve Carlton is the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards. The 37-year-old Carlton led the NL in wins (23), pitches pitched (295.2), strikeouts (286) and shutouts (6).

1998: Mike Piazza signs a seven-year, $91 million contract with the Mets.

2017: The Yankees announce that Joe Girardi will not return as manager in 2018, despite being one win shy of reaching the World Series.

Information about this item was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com And Today in baseball history.