Appleton Wisconsin has been home to minor league baseball since 1958, but joined the Midwest League in 1962 as the Fox Cities Foxes. Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium is located in Grand Chutes, Wisconsin. The team switched to Appleton in 1967, and became the Timber Rattlers in 1995 when the current park was built. It’s only minutes off the highway and is an easy 275-mile trip up I94/41.

Every fan enters the ballpark in the main gate behind home plate. You’re immediately greeted warmly by ushers and staff who lack the gruffness of their ML counterparts. After being banded with an adult beverage wristband, I collected my Sal Frelick mini-bobblehead and comp Playball Magazine. Before hitting the First Aid station, I grabbed a lineup, stats and score sheet.

The concourse has 14 concession stands offering everything you would imagine in Wisconsin and then some. More importantly, there are several deals to be had. For whatever reason, they don’t have traditional bleacher seats, rather they have 3 different party decks in the outfield. However, one needn’t have a special ticket to be able to completely circumnavigate the ballpark. Last year, they aided a slide in left field, replicating Bernie’s chalet/slide at AmFam Park in Milwaukee. They also have a mini-beach in right field,

Even though, Sunday’s game was the last of a two-team, 12-game homestand, fans were able to have a catch in the outfield for 30 minutes before the game. They finish off Sundays with postgame autograph signing. I left immediately after the game so I don’t know how many stayed for that.

It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon and I took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy my first meal at a game this year. While they lack a rail circling the park, there are plenty of picnic tables along the concourse.

Other than the two teams’ records heading into the contest Quad Cities (25-31) and the T-Rats (35-21), the only stat that interested me was stolen bases. Dylan O’Rea (29), Jadher Areinamo (22), and Luis Lara (19) were among the league leaders.

For the most part, the game wasn’t determined by many of the few prospects on either team-with one exception. That isn’t to say that the game wasn’t entertaining. In fact, there were two very different parts of this 9-inning, 2:50 game.

My box seat was in the front row down the third base line (visitor’s dugout) and offered a splendid view of all the action at home plate.

The game featured a pair of untested lefties, Ryan Ramsey (0-2, 2.76 ERA) for the Bandits and Brian Fitzpatrick (2-1, 3.55 ERA) for Wisconsin. The T-Rats had a 1-0 lead heading into the top of the 8th, but there was plenty of action at the plate.

Fitzpatrick pitched his best game of the season, holding Quad Cities to three singles, two walks and a hit batter over 6 shutout innings. He was aided by a brilliant play by catcher, Matt Wood.

In the top of the 4th and with one out and the bases loaded Bandit right fielder, Jean Ramirez showed bunt at the first two pitches. Third time being the charm and all that Ramirez popped a ball a few feet in front of the plate, Wood pounced on the ball and spun around and dove towards home and the runner and got the second out-averting danger on two levels.

The next batter lined to first to end the inning. That was the only threat Fitzpatrick faced. However, in the top of the 8th, the Bandits finally scored when first baseman Brett Squires scored on a Yerlin Rodriguez. The Rattlers countered with a run of their own in the bottom of the 8th on a Tayden Hall RBI single.

This is where things get crazy and minor league managers operate by a different code. With the slimmest of one-run leads, Wisconsin manager, Victor Estevez brought in reliever, Bayden Root, to close out the game. The only problem, Root entered the game with an 11.57 ERA.

Cue the Benny Hill show theme music: Root walked the first batter who then stole second, the next batter singled him to third. With nobody out and runners on the corners, Jean Ramirez came to the plate and again squared to bunt the first two pitches. With the infield drawn in, he eked one past the third baseman for a run-scoring double and a bit of revenge.

Jean Ramirez’s double temporarily tied the game at 2.

After a harmless ground out to second, Root intentionally walked leadoff hitter, Carter Jensen and then surrendered a two-run single to Dustin Dickerson. Two batters later, Trevor Werner singled in Jensen, but Dickerson was thrown out at third ending the inning. It was Dickerson’s second baserunning gaffe of the day. However, the Bandits had a 5-2 lead h.eading into the bottom of the ninth.

Compelled by the rules of the code mentioned upthread, Quad Cities manager, Brooks “Don’t call me Bob or William” Conrad, brought in Ben Sears to get his 6th save on the season. In an effort to make Root feel better, Sears allowed the first five batters to reach base safely (hit batter, single, walk, single and single). O’Rea (mentioned way upthread) and the Brewers #21 ranked prospect singled in the first run of the inning. He was 3-5 with two RBI and his 30th stolen base. DH Jesus Chirinos continued the barrage with a game-tying, two-run single. Conrad saw enough and brought in A.J Block to preserve the tie. Suffice to say, the atmosphere in the park had changed completely. Block intentionally walked the next batter, Wood, to load the bases for the force at any base (still no outs).

First baseman, Tayden Hall hit a fly ball to medium left field. Despite a decent throw, O’Rea beat the throw and won the game 6-5. When I thought it couldn’t get any more bizarre Jack Palance rasped, “Believe it or not.” 4003 fans witnessed the events and the game officially ended at 4:03 p.m.