Ryan Braun gets to 1,000 hits faster than Rose

Cincinnati - Ryan Braun didn't realize he got to 1,000 hits quicker than all-time hits leader Pete Rose until informed by Brewers media relations director Mike Vassallo.

"That's pretty cool," said the all-star leftfielder. "I had never really thought of it in that context because I had no idea how fast it had taken anybody else to get there."

Braun reached the 1,000-hit plateau Friday night by collecting singles in his first two at-bats against Cincinnati's Homer Bailey, who allowed only six hits in eight innings of the Reds' 3-1 victory. He got there in his 815th game, the earliest of any player in franchise history. Rose recorded his 1,000th hit in his 831st game.

Braun had the ball retrieved for his trophy room back in Malibu, Calif.

"When you play this game every day, you rarely have time to reflect on what you're doing," said Braun. "It certainly has gone by really fast.

"I'm sure at some point after the season I'll be able to look back and appreciate it. Special moments like that you have to embrace because you deal with so much adversity, so much failure, so much negativity in playing this game. When something positive happens, you should enjoy it. I just think during the season there's no opportunity to be content or feel good about something you've accomplished."

Braun said it wasn't easy to get good swings against Bailey, who entered the game with a 0-5 record and 6.50 ERA in 10 career starts against the Brewers but continued a recent surge in which his command has been excellent.

"He threw great against us," said Braun. "We've seen him quite a few times but that's the best he has looked. More than anything, he had great fastball command. He stayed down in the (strike) zone with everything."


(jsonline.com)