Pay For One, Stay For Two – Doubleheader at Harbor Park Featuring Norfolk Tides vs Nashville Sounds

This week is the final homestand of the 2024 season for my local Norfolk Tides baseball club. I have been really fortunate to have attended 5 Tides home games at Harbor Park this season, and I couldn’t be more thrilled knowing the Park is so close to my new VA Beach home. Although the team’s roster has changed from game to game, the level of play is still very high. The AAA level of professional baseball is about as close to the MLB level as you can get. Many of these AAA players have played in a Major League game or parts of a season or entire seasons, some as recent as a few weeks ago. It is so awesome to have Harbor Park, The Norfolk Tides, and this level of professional baseball just a highway and an exit away!

Knowing that this would be the final homestand as well as my travel schedule picking up, I was excited to grab tickets for Rachel and myself for Wednesday night’s game vs. the Nashville Sounds. The Tides would be wearing special Lifeguard inspired uniforms, which will eventually be auctioned off for charity (next season). I love the theme nights at these minor league games and so I was doubly psyched for Wednesday’s game. And, with the rainout on Tuesday night, another surprise at the ballpark – a doubleheader game. One ticket, 2 games, what more can you ask for on your final homestand baseball Norfolk Tides game experience of the year???

How about a walk off win in the first game? How about a steady drizzle? How about amazing seats behind the dugout? How about a great parking spot in the lot next to the stadium? How about a new golf shirt? How about a new sweatshirt for Rachel? The night kept getting better and better as Game 1 ended and we had about 30 minutes to walk around the concession stand area. So, I snapped some photos of Wall of Fame recipients and will look forward to reading the plaques and learning more about these players.

This was an interesting plaque – the Harbor Park 10 Year Tides All-Stars from years 1993-2002. This is when the NY Mets were the parent club and the Tidewater, then Norfolk Tides were their AAA Affiliate. You can see names like Rey Ordonez, Jeremy Burnitz, Jason Isringhausen, and Benny Agbayani on this list. They all played for the NY Mets parent club at one point in their careers. Nowadays, the Baltimore Orioles are the parent club, so you might see a 10 year All Star plaque like this with names like Jackson Holliday, Ryan Mountcastle, among others.

Game 2 started on time, Rachel and I got back in our Section 207 seats, and we were off and running on Game 2 with the new Lifeguard inspired uniforms. Game 2, much like Game 1, featured two very high profile prospects for the Norfolk Tides/Baltimore Orioles. Leftfielder Dylan Beavers was making his AAA debut after being called up recently from AA Bowie. Beavers is a power hitting left handed batter and very good defensive outfielder. And Catcher Samuel Basillo was behind the plate and man, was he impressive. Basillo, just 20 years of age, looked massive in his catcher’s gear. Fantastic throwing arm behind the dish. And later in the game, both Beavers and Basillo would play important roles in the Tides’ Game 2 victory. Great to see these prospects before they eventually head up to the Big Club!

I think for Game 2, the crowd that remained during the misty sprinkles was about as entertaining as you get. The taunts, the chants, the shout outs, the hilarious comments, the snarky callouts to the umpires and opposing players. Heck, it was a Wednesday night game, in the rain, end of the season, I say let it all hang out this one last time. Rachel and I sat there for innings cracking up at the comments, the jokes, and the amateur comedians sitting behind home plate. Lot of fun, nobody got hurt, nobody retaliated, just some good clean heckling!

5 for 5, well to be technical 6 for 6 in 2024. 6 great games, 6 great Norfolk Tides experiences. 5 trips to the Team Store. 5 rounds of hot dogs and ice cream. AAA Baseball at Harbor Park is an amazing night or day at the baseball field. The level of play is extraordinary – a lot of these players have played or will play in the Major Leagues. Some are 20 year old prospects. Others are in their late 20s, early 30s and still have what it takes to be a Major Leaguer. The field, the food, the ticket price, the parking availability, the fun – Harbor Park you are just an incredible baseball experience every single time I visit. Congrats on your season so far, I know you only have a few more games left, but amazing job Norfolk Tides players, coaches, and management. Rachel and I will definitely be back in 2025!