Brew Crew Blasts #2: Braun Reaches Rare Air

Brew Crew Blasts is a look at the ten longest home runs hit by Brewer batters during the 2012 season, as measured by Hit Tracker Online. This is the second week for the daily series, and here are the home runs we've already covered:

10) Carlos Gomez against the Nationals on July 26, 439 feet
9) Aramis Ramirez against the Royals on June 14, 440 feet
8) Rickie Weeks against the Padres on October 1, 441 feet
7) Carlos Gomez against the Diamondbacks on June 30, 442 feet
6) Rickie Weeks against the Nationals on July 29, 443 feet
5) Ryan Braun against the Rockies on April 21, 448 feet
4) Corey Hart against the Twins on May 20, 449 feet
3) Aramis Ramirez against the Mets on September 16, 458 feet

The Brewers' August 30 game against the Cubs didn't end well, but at least it gave us this fun highlight.

The Brewers scored five in the third inning of this game to take a 5-3 lead, then plated two more in the fourth on this Ryan Braun moon shot:

That ball traveled 460 feet and was both the longest home run hit on the road by a Brewer in 2012 and the longest of 152 home runs hit at Wrigley Field. When you look at the Hit Tracker map it's pretty easy to pick out, all by itself behind the center field bleachers.

That home run came on one of Brooks Raley's final pitches of the 2012 season, and it's pretty easy to tell why. It was an 89 mph meatball within an inch at most of the exact center of the strike zone:

via www.brooksbaseball.net

Unfortunately for the Brewers the fun ended shortly after this. Livan Hernandez, Manny Parra and Francisco Rodriguez combined to allow nine runs on eight hits and five walks over just two innings as the Cubs came back for a 12-11 walkoff win.