This date in baseball

April 4

1974 — The Cincinnati Reds defeated Atlanta 7-6 in 11 innings before a crowd of 52,000 at Riverfront Stadium. In his first at-bat, Hank Aaron hit a three-run homer off Jack Billingham. It was his 714th, tying Babe Ruth’s career record. The Braves had considered keeping Aaron on the bench for the season-opening series in Cincinnati so he could attempt to tie the record four days later in Atlanta. But Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered the Braves to put Aaron in the lineup for at least two of the three games.

1988 — George Bell became the first player to hit three home runs on Opening Day, leading Toronto past the Royals 5-3.

1994 — Chicago’s Karl Rhodes hit three solo home runs off Dwight Gooden in a 12-8 loss to the Mets on Opening Day at Wrigley Field. Rhodes became the second player to homer three times in an opener.

1998 — Mark McGwire tied Willie Mays’ National League record by hitting a home run in each of his first four games of the season. McGwire launched a towering three-run shot in the sixth inning of an 8-6 victory for the Cardinals over San Diego.

2001 — Hideo Nomo became the fourth pitcher in major-league history to throw a no-hitter in both leagues. He led Boston’s 3-0 victory over Baltimore. Nomo, who threw the first no-hitter in Colorado’s Coors Field on Sept. 17, 1996, for Los Angeles, walked three and struck out 11 in the first no-hitter in the 10-year history of Camden Yards.

2003 — Sammy Sosa of the Cubs became the 18th player to hit 500 career homers, connecting for a solo shot in a 10-9 loss to Cincinnati.