Ryan Braun's big night fueled by midday snack?

SAN DIEGO -- Ryan Braun does not consider himself the superstitious type, but he made a few exceptions on Tuesday.

Braun said he wore the same T-shirt to the ballpark and repeated his routine the day after his historic Monday night, when the Brewers outfielder became the first player ever to belt three home runs at cavernous Petco Park. It was his first career three-homer game, and he was the first player since Fred Lynn in 1975 to hit three homers and a triple in the same game. Braun set a Brewers record with 15 total bases.

"I try not to be superstitious," Braun said, "but it's hard not to."

According to some local news outlets, including 10News.com, his day-after routine included a stop at a snack shop in the Gaslamp Quarter. Crunchtime Popcorn received some nice publicity by spreading the word, complete with a photo, that Braun and his girlfriend had stopped in Monday afternoon for a strawberry-banana smoothie. They were waiting outside Tuesday morning before the store opened to place the same order.

Brewers teammates benefited from Braun's brand loyalty. Bags of popcorn were waiting for them in the clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon.

Braun said he didn't keep any souvenirs from his big night, though he might have, had his ninth-inning at-bat gone differently. He batted with a chance to become the 16th player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game. Braun hit a line drive to right-center field -- Brewers manager Ron Roenicke believes it would have been a homer at Miller Park -- and "settled" for a two-run triple.

Was Braun thinking "home run" going into that at-bat? You bet he was.

"I've never had an opportunity in my career to attempt a fourth homer, and there's no guarantee I'll ever have that opportunity again, so of course the thought crossed my mind," Braun said.

Did he consider blowing past third base and trying for an inside-the-park homer?

Yep.

"If I would have just kept running, it's not an error, right, if they relay the ball to third and I just keep running home," he said. "I thought about it. There was just no chance. Maybe if [the outfielder] dove for it or something like that."

Braun reached a different milestone Tuesday night. With his stolen base in the sixth inning, Braun became the fourth player in Brewers history with 100 steals and 100 home runs. Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and Rickie Weeks are the others.


(mlb.com)