5-year Marliniversary: Moran brothers make history as Marlins rally past Pirates

[Mike Ferguson]

Five years ago, a hitter faced his brother, the pitcher, for the first time in Major League Baseball history. 

On this day five years ago, two non-contending teams squared off in a late-season rubber game to cap a three-game series. The Miami Marlins rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-7.

Although not much was on the line, the contest featured a Major League Baseball first.

Miami reliever Brian Moran made his big-league debut in the bottom of the fourth at PNC Park on Sept. 5, 2019. After retiring Bryan Reynolds on his first career pitch, Moran looked home to see a familiar face: his younger brother, Colin Moran. 

It marked the first time in big-league history that two brothers squared off in an at-bat. It was a six-pitch at-bat, but the older Moran ultimately won the battle by striking out his young brother looking for his first career punch-out. 

After hitting Josh Bell, Brian Moran capped a scoreless inning and his night by getting Melky Cabrera to fly out. In addition to winning the matchup with his younger brother, Brian Moran would go on to get his first career win.

Perhaps sparked by the older Moran's effort in the fourth, the Marlins scored four runs in the top of the fifth to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 lead. After a two-run single by Isan Díaz tied the game, an error by Colin Moran allowed Miami to go ahead for good.

Down 5-1 before Harold Ramírez's home run to lead off the second inning, the Marlins scored nine straight runs. After taking the lead in the fifth, Miami tacked on with two runs in the sixth and two more in the eighth.

Reynolds got the scoring started for Pittsburgh with a two-run home run during a five-inning first. He and Bell would add solo blasts in the ninth to cap the scoring and end the Marlins' string of nine unanswered runs.

As a team, the Marlins finished with 16 hits as Magneuris Sierra led the way with three. Jon Berti, Starlin Castro, Neil Walker, Jorge Alfaro and Díaz each finished with two. Walker drove in a team-high three runs while Berti scored four times.

As for Brian Moran, he would pick up just two wins—both with the Marlins—in 18 career games. He made history by striking out his younger brother on this day five years ago. 

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