The Chicago Cubs were shellacked by the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, losing by a 17-4 score. Add in Wednesday's blowout defeat (10-0), and Chicago's faithful haven't had reason to feel good about their team as of late. The Cubs did make some recent history while creating a happy memory for one big-league family during Thursday's defeat, however, as they allowed utility infielder Andrew Romine to pitch to his brother, veteran backup catcher Austin Romine.
Andrew, who started the game at shortstop, was asked to record the final three outs in what served as his eighth career pitching appearance. (He'd previously racked up a 12.71 ERA and a 0.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, for whatever that matters.) On this particular day, Andrew permitted a run on a Luis Urías home run. He also struck out Jackie Bradley Jr. looking to end the frame. His average velocity was 66.3 mph while he maxed out at 82.1 mph, per Statcast.
The Romine brothers became the first pair of siblings to play in a single game for the Cubs since Rick and Paul Reuschel did it in 1978. The Reuschels were both pitchers, meaning they weren't in the game at the same time. To witness two siblings playing in a game for the Cubs at the same time, you have to go back to Hal and Danny Breeden in 1971, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
What's more is that the Romines appear to be the first sibling battery in Major League Baseball since Larry Sherry threw to Norm Sherry as part of the 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers. In all, the Romines are the 16th brother battery in league history, according to research conducted by Larry Amman and L. Robert Davids and published by SABR.
The Cubs are now 52-65 on the season, including 1-10 since the start of August.
