On Wednesday, brothers Austin and Aaron Nola met in a Major League Baseball game for only the third time in their professional careers when the San Diego Padres hosted the Philadelphia Phillies for Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.
In the fifth inning, with Aaron pitching for the Phillies and Austin at the plate for the Padres, the oldest brother put both siblings in the record books.
Austin smashed an RBI single to right field, becoming the first player in baseball history to tally a hit off their brother in the postseason.
What Austin Nola just did is something we'd never seen before.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 19, 2022
A guy getting any kind of hit - let alone an RBI single - against his brother in a postseason game.
October baseball is such great theater.
Austin's hit was a big one, sparking a five-run inning to help lead the Padres to a huge come-from-behind victory in Game 2.
Call it brotherly love #CaptureTheMoment pic.twitter.com/WP8omVaINu
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 19, 2022
Entering the matchup, Aaron had bragging rights over his older brother, as Austin had tallied just one hit in five plate appearances against his younger sibling. However, for a day at least, Austin has the advantage.
Austin said it was a "typical" at-bat against his younger brother, meaning he quickly fell behind in the count 0-2. But Austin said he knew how his brother would attack him and tried to keep his approach simple.
"I might as well just walk up there and tell him to put two strikes on me 'cause that's what it feels like," Austin said. "I just battle. I know the kind of pitcher he is. I know he's not going to give in. I know he's going to come right after me and give his best stuff.
"I was just up there trying to hit something hard up the middle, and good things happen."
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