September 12

The Braves are mathematically eliminated from the division race as the Mets beat the Marlins, 6-4. The New York victory ends Atlanta’s streak of fourteen straight division titles, the longest run for any professional sport.

2005 – Making his season debut with just 20 games left in the regular schedule, Barry Bonds returns to the Giants’ lineup with a bang, lining a double in his first at-bat and barely missing hitting his 704th career homer. The 41-year-old slugger had been placed on the disabled list at the start of the season due to an infection following knee surgery.

A jury, and not a judge or umpires, will decide whether Alex Popov actually controlled Barry Bonds’ record-setting 73rd home run in his glove. Popov, who lost possession of the ball valued at approximately $1 million after being mobbed by fans, claims the historic horsehide should belong to him and not Patrick Hayashi, who ended up with the valuable souvenir.

On the same date the mark was established 68 years ago, Dave Hansen breaks Johnny Frederick’s 1932 record for pinch-hit home runs in a single season with his seventh round-tripper coming off the bench. The Dodger pinch-hitter’s historic homer, a seventh-inning three-run blast off Diamondback right-hander Curt Schilling, isn’t enough to prevent the team’s 5-4 loss to Arizona at Bank One Ballpark.

The Cubs’ Kerry Wood pitches his 2nd career complete game, winning 2 – 1 over the Reds. Two unearned runs do in Osvaldo Fernandez.

1999 – Before a crowd of 50,027, the Red Sox finish their 3-game series at Yankee Stadium with a 4 – 1 win for a sweep. It is the first 3-game sweep at Yankee Stadium for the Red Sox since 1986.

Philadelphia rides five hits by SS Alex Arias, including three doubles, to a 13 – 4 win over the Pirates.

Mark McGwire draws his 152nd walk of the season, to break the National League mark set by Barry Bonds, as the Astros defeat the Cardinals, 3 – 2.