Kyle Chapman Marlins

The K.C. fall ball Marlins closed the book on the first 5 games of the season with an exciting 9-6 win over the K.C. Astros on Monday night at K.C. field. The 5-0 Marlins appeared to be cruising to victory when Joe Silver, the Astros catcher, smashed a booming grand salami to left center field to bring the Astros within one run at 5-4. The Marlins pitching trio of Pat Brosch, Trey Hibbard and Grant Haynes managed to prevent the potent Astros lineup from inflicting much more damage. Finally, the Marlins broke the game open in the top of the 6th with two important runs. It looked as though the Astros might leave the Marlins black and blue since two different Astros pitchers managed to hit three different Marlins batters. Daniel Rothenberg led things offensively with a single, a double and a hit by pitch right in the ole derriere. Daniel went 2-3, drove in two runs and scored a run. His kid brother J-Rod Rothenberg shows signs of breaking out of his fall-long batting slump, going 2-3 with two singles up the middle, driving in two runs and scoring two himself. But the biggest kudos of the night must be saved for starting pitcher Pat Brosch. Astros catcher Joe Silver boomed a wicked line drive right back through the mound, catching Pat solidly on the shin. Writhing in obvious pain on the ground for several minutes, it appeared Pat might not be able to walk again on Monday night, much less continue to play. In a remarkable display of courage and guts, Pat was helped back up to his feet and somehow managed to continue pitching the rest of the second and the third innings. What an incredible display of determination by that young man. Brian Barker joined the razzle dazzle club with his first unassisted double play at second base to snuff out a budding Astros rally. Pat continued to amaze late in the game when he stretched so far for a throw from thirdbaseman Chris O'Shea that the Marlins' announcer, Big Daddy Tuna, thought it was his son J-Rod playing first base. It was only after J-Rod took off his catcher's mask that Tuna realized that Pat had made the awesome strech at 1st base. Way to go Pat. The Marlins play an important game on Wednesday night at 6pm against the Rockies-- the only team not to fall to the Marlins YET this fall season. An added dimension to Wednesday night's game is the fact that Daniel Rothenberg, the Marlins centerfielder and pitcher, was a Rockie last spring, and is one of the Phish this fall. This should be an exciting game indeed. Marlin coach Glen Haynes continues to sparkle in his freshman campaign here at Kyle Chapman. That's all for now!!! Goooo Phish!!!!