ProCanes Report: Braun's Career Night Powers Brewers

May 2, 2012

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The weekly ProCanes Report will weed through all the Major League Baseball highlights and news to bring you the information you care about the most…what the former University of Miami Hurricanes did during the week prior. Many of UBaseball’s most famous alumni enjoyed stellar weeks, highlighted by a career-best performance from Ryan Braun, while Scott Maine (Chicago Cubs) and Blake Tekotte (San Diego Padres) became the newest Hurricanes called up to the show for the 2012 season.

Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers) : 9-for-25 (.360 average), one triple, four homeruns, eight RBI
The reigning National League Most Valuable Player single-handedly powered the Brewers to an 8-3 win over the San Diego Padres, connecting for a career-best three homeruns and narrowly missing a fourth. Braun, who is hitting .292 and already has seven homeruns, has not missed a beat for the Milwaukee offense after losing battery mate Prince Fielder over the offseason. The 28-year-old had hits in every game but one this past week, raising his batting average nearly 20 points to its current .292.
Weekly Highlights:  Three Homeruns | Two-RBI Triple | Career Night

Jon Jay (St. Louis Cardinals): 9-for-16 (.562 average), 10-game hitting streak, four RBI 
The Cardinals’ speedy centerfielder upped his hit streak to a season-best 10 games after going 2-for-4 in a 10-7 win over the Pirates on May 1. With his hot streak at the plate, Jay has risen his season average to over .400, to its current .407. In the past week, the Miami native has connected for two three-hit games, including a 3-for-4, three-RBI performance against Milwaukee on April 27. Jay’s bat is a big reason the Cardinals sit atop the NL Central with a 15-8 record through the first 23 games of the season.
Weekly Highlights:  RBI Single | Three-Hit Game

Danny Valencia (Minnesota Twins): six hits, one double, one triple, three RBI
One of the rising stars in Major League Baseball, Danny Valencia has begun to swing the bat with the type of ferocity opposing teams expect from the 27-year old. Valencia has risen his batting average over 35 points in the last week alone, and led the Twins to a 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals with a 3-for-4, two-RBI showing at the plate. Though his team has been struggling, Valencia has helped power the Minneosta lineup, including his first longball of the year in a home series with the Boston Red Sox.
Weekly Highlights:   RBI Single | Deep Triple | Two-Run Shot

Yonder Alonso (San Diego Padres): eight hits, four doubles
Playing in his first season with the Padres, Alonso did his best to match fellow alum Ryan Braun with a 2-for-3 showing against the Brewers on April 30. The Havana native is one of many Hurricanes picking up their offensive pace, as Alonso has belted four doubles and eight hits in the past six games. Though San Diego sits near the bottom of the NL West after a slow start out of the gates, Alonso’s bat will play a critical role in their efforts to make the postseason out of a strong division.
Weekly Highlights:   Big Single | Heads-Up Double Play