At Field of Dreams, Cedar Rapids Kernels feel like major leaguers for a day

 

By Jeff Johnson, The Gazette

 

The police escort from Farley to their ultimate destination just outside this Dubuque County town made them realize the scope of this event.

 

So did the first look at their clubhouse. Though a tent, it was a luxurious one with more space, amenities and food than what they’re used to at home and on the road.

 

The minor leagues, you know.

 

Then members of the Cedar Rapids Kernels wandered out for their first look at the Field of Dreams stadium Tuesday afternoon, cellphone cameras at the ready. The immaculate playing surface, the perfectly manicured cornfields surrounding the outfield fences, the blue sky above it, pillowy white clouds interspersed, man, it was the cliche about this being heaven.

 

“Whoa!” one player said.

 

“Unreal,” another one exclaimed.

 

“This is sweet, dude,” yet another one uttered to a teammate.

 

The Kernels and Quad Cities River Bandits got to experience the high life Tuesday. Theirs was the second professional baseball game played at this temporary facility, following the Yankees and White Sox last year, and the first minor league game.

 

» Keep reading

Photos: Kernels vs. River Bandits at Field of Dreams

 

Scenes from pregame and game action from The Gazette's Savannah Blake.

Final: Davenport Blue Sox 7, Cedar Rapids Bunnies 2

 

The Cedar Rapids Kernels are now 61-42, the Quad Cities River Bandits 39-64. The teams now head to Davenport to continue their week-long series after a memorable night in Dyersville. Attendance for the first Minor League Baseball game at the Field of Dreams was 7,532.

 

"Just a moment to remember," Blue Sox starting pitcher Chandler Champlain told MLB Network after the game. "This field is the most perfect field I've ever played on. I'll never forget this day for the rest of my life, so that was a very special moment. Especially with these guys still being very new teammates of mine, new coaches of mine, it feels really good."

 

It's the major-leaguers' turn Thursday night as the Chicago Cubs face the Cincinnati Reds.

The Blue Sox (@QCRiverBandits) win the first #MiLBatFieldofDreams game! pic.twitter.com/ct8LWuCsXQ

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 10, 2022

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame"

Stretch time in the Field of Dreams pic.twitter.com/5Y6GCySjDa

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) August 10, 2022

T7: Blue Sox 7, Bunnies 2

 

Jeferson Morales sac fly scores Kyler Fedko.

Jeferson Morales' sac fly brings in the 2nd run of the game for the Bunnies!

At the 7th inning stretch:@CRKernels - 2@QCRiverBandits - 7@CJChamplain | @MiLB | @MLBPipeline | #MiLBatFieldofDreams🌽 pic.twitter.com/xYzhx7MQS2

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 10, 2022

Chandler Champlain gets a big ovation

 

The Davenport starting pitcher exits after a fantastic outing: 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K.

 

"I love the atmosphere in Iowa," he told MLB Network (he was just assigned to Quad Cities after being traded from the Yankees). "It's very peaceful. Everyone here is very nice. Life is a lot slower, just more relaxed."

Chandler Champlain was 💪

The @royals prospect notched 7 K's in 6 1/3 IP for his longest career outing for the Blue Sox (@QCRiverBandits)!#MiLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/dn8APUKVCZ

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 10, 2022

T7: Blue Sox 7, Bunnies 1

 

Cedar Rapids is on the board. Jake Rucker fly ball dropped in the outfield for a double and he scores on a Kyler Fedko RBI single up the middle.

This will never not be cool to watch.#MiLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/1xIuG5yUjz

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 10, 2022

B6: Blue Sox 7, Bunnies 0

 

Tyler Tolbert steals third and scores on a Herard Gonzalez RBI single up the middle.

B6: Blue Sox 6, Bunnies 0

 

Tyler Tolbert RBI double brings in Cam Williams after a leadoff walk.

B6: Cedar Rapids pitching change

Tyler Palm now on to pitch for @crkernels. Scoreless inning for Matt Mullenbach. Palm told me today as he was touring the movie site that he saw "Field of Dreams" for the first time last night. Yet another guy signed out of independent ball who must be having a blast with this.

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 10, 2022

An Iowan is now on the mound

 

Waukee grad Matt Mullenbach now pitching for the Bunnies to start the bottom of the 5th.

 

Gave up a two-out single and a walk but no runs.

.@CRKernels' RHP Matt Mullenbach is living the dream pitching in his hometown state at the #MiLBatFieldofDreams🌽 ❤️@jonmorosi | @MiLB | @MLBPipeline pic.twitter.com/Dh4IoSHLrZ

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 10, 2022

B3: Blue Sox 5, Bunnies 0

 

Parker Bates, the first batter reliever Derek Molina faced, adds to the Davenport lead with a bases-loaded sac fly.

Cedar Rapids pitching change

Bases loaded, one out and a pitching change for @crkernels. Derek Molina for starter Aaron Rozek. 4-0 Quad Cities.

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 10, 2022

B3: Blue Sox 4, Bunnies 0

 

Juan Carlos Negret with his third RBI in the early-going on a double to the right-center gap. Herard Gonzalez scores from first after reaching on an error.

B3: Blue Sox 3, Bunnies 0

 

Another Davenport home run into the left-field corn, this time a solo shot from Peyton Wilson.

"It's going to the corn!"@Royals No. 13 prospect Peyton Wilson slugs a solo shot for the Blue Sox (@QCRiverBandits). pic.twitter.com/yepRmv8uJx

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 9, 2022

Mid-3: Blue Sox 2, Bunnies 0

Alerick Soularie doubles with one out, nearly gets caught off second on a Seth Gray lineuout to SS, then gets picked off. To B3: Davenport (Quad Cities) 2, @crkernels 0.

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 9, 2022

A perfectly executed pickoff attempt ends the Kernels threat in the top of the 3rd! 💥@QCRiverBandits | @MiLB | @MLBPipeline | #MiLBatFieldofDreams🌽 pic.twitter.com/Rqi1exF8P3

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 9, 2022

Bottom 1: Blue Sox 2, Bunnies 0

 

Juan Carlos Negret hits a two-out, two-run homer into the left-field corn.

We have lift-off in Dyersville! 🚀

Juan Carlos Negret finds the cornfields in LF and the @QCRiverBandits jump out to a 2-0 lead!@MiLB | @MLBPipeline | #MiLBatFieldofDreams🌽 pic.twitter.com/6GzHsV1rlw

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 9, 2022

Mid-1: Bunnies 0, Blue Sox coming to bat

 

Chandler Champlain struck out three, allowing a pair of two-out singles and no runs in the first.

.@Royals prospect Chandler Champlain starts off #MiLBatFieldofDreams with three strikeouts in the first for the Blue Sox ( @QCRiverBandits)! pic.twitter.com/qesKRkvf3X

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 9, 2022

Cedar Rapids gets its first hit

 

Aaron Sabato with a two-out single. He's mic'd up tonight on the MLB Network broadcast, which should be a lot of fun -- and a unique experience in the minor leagues.

Play ball!

 

» Live stats

 

Chandler Champlain strikes out Cedar Rapids' Alerick Soularie to begin the game. 

Chandler Champlain gets the action going with some high heat for the first K of the game! 🔥@QCRiverBandits | @MiLB | @MLBPipeline | #MiLBatFieldofDreams🌽 pic.twitter.com/XFbJWLpdUi

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 9, 2022

The big show

 

Greg Amsinger, also rocking a throwback uniform, opens the MLB Network live broadcast with a good point: "For the first time, I can say this, there are big-leaguers watching right now envious of minor-league players."

Greg, Harold and @jonmorosi getting ready… @MiLB action coming up at #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/qhnYr9JGEC

— MLB Network PR (@MLBNetworkPR) August 9, 2022

Picture perfect

My view. Not too shabby. pic.twitter.com/b6DxRbNfsE

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 9, 2022

Tonight's starting lineups

 

Starting on the mound are Aaron Rozek (C.R.) and Chandler Champlain (Q.C.). Here's a great story about Rozek from earlier this season.

Starting lineups for #MiLBatFieldofDreams 🌽!

The Kernels (#MNTwins ) will play as the Bunnies and the River Bandits (#Royals) will be the Blue Sox. pic.twitter.com/nPMIK3MCgS

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 9, 2022

Highlights from Cedar Rapids Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman's pregame press conference

Manager Brian Dinkelman on what tonight's Field of Dreams experience means for @CRKernels players pic.twitter.com/UfcUf6BnOR

— CR Gazette Sports (@CRGazetteSports) August 9, 2022

🌽 "It's like a major-league field just stuck in the middle of corn."@CRKernels Manager Brian Dinkelman describes the Field of Dreams stadium pic.twitter.com/DbiMWyTJwj

— CR Gazette Sports (@CRGazetteSports) August 9, 2022

Dyersville receives $12.5 million for Field of Dreams stadium

 

Dyersville will receive $12.5 million in federal funding from the state toward a planned baseball stadium on the “Field of Dreams” movie site, part of a broad baseball and tourism project planned on the site.

 

According to a release from Gov. Kim Reynolds, the money will go toward the This is Iowa Ballpark, a multiuse, $50 million stadium on the set of the 1989 film.

 

» Full story from Caleb McCullough, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau

A look at the Cedar Rapids Bunnies

 

If you haven't seen them, here are the throwback uniforms the Kernels are wearing tonight. The team was the Cedar Rapids Bunnies in the early 1900s. 

 

The uniforms are cool, but it's kind of funny that in a stadium surrounded by corn, the Kernels won't have be wearing any Kernels logos.

Here’s an early look at the throwback uniforms that we will be wearing during next weeks game! 🐰🔥#MiLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/1ASGuDjwpz

— Cedar Rapids Kernels (@CRKernels) August 5, 2022

 

Expect a lot of subs

 

This game still counts, so it's cool to hear that Kernels manager Brian Dinkelman still wants to give a lot of players the chance to get on the field.

Aaron Rozek will be the starting pitcher tonight for @crkernels in Field of Dreams game. Manager Brian Dinkelman said he will get as many guys into the game as possible, especially position guys. Hands are tied pitching wise because they are bullpenning it tomorrow night at QC.

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 9, 2022

"Whoa!"

Kernels @crkernels players walking into the Field of Dreams field for first time. “Whoa!” This is sweet, dude!” “Unreal” among the comments. pic.twitter.com/aHHbaioFl4

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 9, 2022

Take a walk through the Field of Dreams corn

Walking through the corn. pic.twitter.com/J9AjLyfIiS

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 9, 2022

A glimpse at the intros for tonight's broadcast

The Kernels (or Bunnies) doing intros corn-style @CRKernels pic.twitter.com/9wqL6WfCqU

— Jett Beachum (@JetthroTV) August 9, 2022

A preview of something we'll probably see on TV soon:

A little bit of movie magic going on before tonight's game... @CRGazetteSports @gazettedotcom pic.twitter.com/vTuBzrZSaD

— Bailey Cichon she/they (@CichonBailey) August 9, 2022

An update from Bailey: The Kernels are expected to arrive soon

@CRGazetteSports @gazettedotcom pic.twitter.com/L9KhufLGt9

— Bailey Cichon she/they (@CichonBailey) August 9, 2022

Weather forecast

 

It should be a great night for baseball. The National Weather Service forecasts a high temp of 78 today. Mostly clear skies and not much wind.

Some of the signage for tonight:

On site at the MiLB at Field of Dreams game.

It’s a beautiful day. pic.twitter.com/AxOievTVez

— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) August 9, 2022

The teams are on their way

Blue Sox are in the house. pic.twitter.com/MEPfRYrk0b

— Jeff Johnson (@jeje66) August 9, 2022

The Iowa connection to the Iowa connection:

Born in Iowa. 🌽
Parents engaged in Dyersville. 💍
Pitching at Field of Dreams. 🔜@jonmorosi documents @CRKernels RHP Matt Mullenbach's journey leading up to tonight's @MiLB at the Field of Dreams! #MLBCentral | @LaurenShehadi pic.twitter.com/XGZdP0POvm

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 9, 2022

Gazette videographer Bailey Cichon has arrived

I made it. Downtown Dyersville had signs welcoming fans and players to their town. The field is buzzing with the sounds of golf carts and volunteers. pic.twitter.com/5pgyIhV3nT

— Bailey Cichon she/they (@CichonBailey) August 9, 2022

Cedar Rapids Kernels manager Scott Wilson spoke for us all last week: "I can't wait," he said of his team's Midwest League game at the Field of Dreams on Tuesday night.

 

The day has arrived. Get ready with Jeff Johnson's preview coverage:

 

» Cedar Rapids Kernels players are ready for their Field of Dreams moment, whether they've seen the movie or not

 

» Everything is coming together for the Cedar Rapids Kernels game at the Field of Dreams