Brothers facing one another in a pitcher-hitter confrontation during a youth baseball game is not unusual.
It's a lot different in the big leagues.
Thursday night, Brian Moran became the first player in major league history to make his debut and face his brother. Moran, 30, who has toiled in the minor leagues for 10 years, debuted for the Miami Marlins and struck out younger brother Colin Moran, who plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Miami Herald reported.
The night was made even sweeter for the older sibling as the Marlins rallied to defeat the Pirates 10-7 at PNC Park, giving Brian Moran his first major league victory.
"It's incredible," Brian Moran told reporters after the game. "I think the last three days have been some of the most exciting, moving days that I've experienced. I don't think you could dream up a cooler situation. I'm so excited I got to share it with my family. I got to get out on a big-league mound."
Colin Moran, 26, was the second batter to face Brian Moran, and he was called out on strikes looking at a 71 mph slider in the fourth inning, the Herald reported.
The Morans are the seventh set of siblings overall to be on opposing teams when one brother is making his debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"It all working out that way was unbelievable," Brian Moran told the Herald. "It fell into that storybook situation that you can't draw up."
"He's such a hard worker," Diane Moran said of her older son during an in-game interview with Fox Sports Florida. "He persevered through injury, through releases, through independent ball. Everything that he's gone through to be able to get that call up is amazing and it just shows you what the beauty of baseball really does. It's amazing."
The Marlins trailed 5-2 in the fourth inning when Marlins manager Don Mattingly brought in Brian Moran, the Herald reported. After getting Bryan Reynolds to ground out on one pitch, Brian Moran found himself staring down at his younger brother.
If was the first time that had faced each other since they played Wiffle ball in the family backyard, Diane Moran told the Herald.
“It was harsh. It was ugly,” Diane Moran said of the sibling battles. “It was very intense between the two of them.”
It was just as intense during a seven-pitch battle.
Colin Moran worked up a 3-1 count, but Brian Moran came back to catch his brother looking at a called third strike.
"I can't dream up a cooler way to get your first strikeout," Brian Moran told the Herald.
“He’s been my inspiration my whole life,” Colin Moran told reporters after the game. “He’s never given up. That’s kind of been the theme of his career. I would’ve given up, probably. A lesser man would have given up with the road he’s had to go through.”
“I don’t think either of us is one to rub it in,” Brian Moran told the newspaper. "But I’m sure I’ll mention it once or twice."
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