In Brown’s 102nd career appearance, the slugger reached a stage on Saturday that avoided him for a long time in A’s 7-3 victory over Astros, launching his first career at home.
Brown’s first long ball in the Major League wasn’t cheap either. At a height of 424 feet, with an output speed of 106.1 mph, the explosion was the manual definition of a no doubt, who traveled high in the second pack of Minute Maid Park.
His colleagues understood the magnitude. On the way back, they met Brown with a barrage of emphysicists. Some offered hugs. Brown could be seen smiling, almost relieved that he had finally broken the pretzel in the column at home.
Brown did not make the A Opening Day list in Spring Training, losing to Ka’ai Tom in the competition for fourth outfielder, but was remembered when Chad Pinder was placed on IL for 10 days with a left knee sprain.