Trenton

GAME 5

Waterfront Park, 2006

Date: Wednesday, July 5, 206, 7:05 PM
Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals) vs. 
Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees)
Waterfront Park
Trenton, NJ
Eastern League, Class AA
Promotion: Fireworks Night


The Stadium & Fans:
Waterfront is a nice little new-generation minor-league park. Everything was in very good order, which is probably why they were named minor league franchise of the year last year. The only quibble was that they try a little too hard to remind you that they are a Yankees affiliate, as every surface is covered with something referencing the Yankees.

The crowd was the standard minor-league mix of families, baseball nuts, and a smattering of scouts, who were suitably into the game.


Scorecard:

Senators vs. Thunder, 07/04/06. Senators win, 5-4.

The scorecard was a free giveaway pamphlet with reasonable-sized boxes and decent paper. Not bad for a freebie.


Miscellanea:
I was originally supposed to go to the Staten Island Yankee game this day, but they were rained out early, so I switched to come down to Trenton.


Travel & Other Non-Game Activities:
This was the first game I used my apartment as home base. It was a quick and easy jump on the NJ Turnpike down and back. I stopped at a rest area to grab some food on the way down, and the food concessions were all staffed with Eastern European college-aged "guest-workers." It was easily the best and most competent service I've ever received at a fast food restaurant.


The Game:
The quality of the AA play was a little better. The Senators had a couple of guys down from the Nationals on major-league rehab assignments. There were lots of walks and a little sloppy play, but it was a solid game. The Thunder fell behind early, tied it up, fell behind again, and then blew a chance to tie it in the bottom of the ninth, sending the first home team of my trip to a loss, 5-4.

Click here to see all the pictures from this trip.

2006 The East