Every so often things come together but in ways you don’t expect. Yesterday I drove to Grand Chute, Wisconsin for the T-Rats home finale. They definitely won’t be involved in the MWL postseason. However, their opponents, the Quad Cities River Bandits are one of three western division teams fighting for the right to play Cedar Rapids in the first round. Beloit entered the game with a slim margin over QC and South Bend.

Unbeknownst to me, until I got up there, the game was a sellout and the only seats available were lawn seats. Given how poorly Wisconsin has played this year and how few fans made the trip from Davenport, I was surprised by the crowd. I soon realized everyone was there to see the three young T-Rat prospects who had just arrived. I was curious to see the Royals’ #1 prospect, Blake Mitchell who didn’t get to play, nor has he shown really well in the MWL.

Two of the three young Brewer prospects did play, Jesus Made (18 y/o) and Luis Pena (18 y/o) played short and second respectively with Made showing a quick bat with a little pop. Pena looked overmatched at the plate though. Unfortunately, there most recent first round pick and most promising young player. Andrew Fischer, did not get the start at third. However, while his teammates were warming up pregame, he was playing catch with a couple young fans down the right field line, and we got to chat for a couple minutes.

While I was doing a little seating recon, I noticed seventy-five or eighty fans lined up for autographs on the concourse. I was surprised that the signing was taking place after the game. The line tripled by first pitch. That’s a lot of people standing in line for 3.5 hours to not be guaranteed Fischer’s autograph.

In what might have been my final minor league game of the summer, I enjoyed the best in park meal of the season-not terribly difficult in Wisconsin.

As it turns out, the autograph hounds made my life a little better as they vacated their seats for a place in line and settled down the first base line for a couple innings. The home team got on the board first, scoring one in the bottom of the first. They tacked on an additional run in the fifth which seemed to be enough for 21-year-old starter, Manny Rodriguez. In what proved to be the best start I’ve witnessed this summer, Roriguez shut out Quad Cities through five and only gave up one run in six innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out 6. While not topping 92 or 93 on the gun he was in complete command.

In easily the most economical outing of the year, Rodriguez threw only 71 pitches in 6 innings of one run ball.

Whether directed by the Brewers or some inspiration, Wisconsin’s “in over his head, second year manager, Victor Estevez, brought in reliever, Aaron Rund to blow the lead immediately. The first three batters reached safely, two on walks and all three scored. One hit, three walks and three stolen bases. Wisconsin’s fielders didn’t look especially sharp, but Rund’s complete lack of command didn’t help.

I used the seventh inning stretch as an excuse to move around the park and take up temporary residence in left field. Both bullpens are situated in left-center with plenty of seating in the shade.

A cadre of Bandits relievers shut down the T-Rats over the final four innings in a 4-2 victory in front of a crowd of 6,079. The weather couldn’t have been any better, lunch any tastier, the beer any crisper and the single scoop of ice cream any better packed into a cup. I’m certain my Dad would have thought the 349-mile trip was worth it.

After today’s day off, the three teams vying for the postseason are separated by only three games. More on the beauty of minor league playoff baseball.

P.S. QC leadoff man, and 4th round pick from the 2025 draft, Nolan Sailors proved to be an ignitor, going 2-5 with a triple, run scored, stolen base and RBI. Every so often, somebody slightly under the radar will surprise you.