Raccoon runs rampant at GABP before Reds-Blue Jays game

Critters have been invading ballparks since the beginning of time (we think).

We've all seen or heard of the squirrels, pigeons, seagulls, bees and even the chickens that just can't help themselves from getting a glimpse of America's pastime.

But here's one most of us have probably never seen before — a raccoon.

That's right, a wild raccoon made its way into Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati just in time for Friday night's Reds-Blue Jays game.

No one's really sure where the raccoon came from, or how the little varmint got into GABP, but it somehow managed to make its way on to the field before the tarp was removed for first pitch:

After rounding third and heading home, the critter made a beeline for the visitor's bullpen, where it seemed to make itself quite comfy:

According to fans who were extensively tracking and reporting its whereabouts via Twitter, the raccoon ran into the home dugout where it hid under the bench and was eventually scooped up and taken to safety.

However, as FOX Sports Ohio's Kevin Goheen notes, the raccoon was available off the Reds bench for Friday's game: