Great Night Out at Rivercats Baseball Game

You do not have to be a big fan of the game of baseball to enjoy an evening at a good ballpark. The River Cats’ baseball stadium in West Sacramento is just such a park. Raley Field is across Tower Bridge on the Sacramento River just minutes from downtown Sacramento.

The River Cats just switched affiliations from the Oakland As to the San Francisco Giants. The Sacramento River Cats are a Triple-A club in the Pacific North league. They have been playing at Raley Field since 2000. Tickets are affordable, ranging from $10 to $65 apiece. Food prices are similar to going to the theater and a little less expensive than a Major League game.

Baseball games are as much about the food and the small traditions as the at bats and defensive plays. Tonight a local childrens’ choir sang the national anthem. I discovered later on facebook that an old friend’s daughter was in that choir. There is Dinger the River Cat mascot doing crazy skits and giving away freebies between innings. Then there is the 7th inning stretch when everyone is invited to stand, stretch, and sing.

Monday nights Cache Creek Casino sponsors free Bingo. I doubt anyone won this week. The numbers are based on the position of the player and how that player does at bat. Some numbers were “called” over and over.

I joined work colleagues at this game against the Las Vegas 51s. We had good tickets on the lower level between homebase and third. Our tickets also entitled us to enter the Solon Club for better food. Broderick Roadhouse offers a great ballpark menu. And the view as you eat is from a higher deck above first base.

I rode my bike to the ballpark. It is just 15 minutes from Midtown. There is plenty of bike parking. The wind came up and it was a chilly ride home and totally beautiful. I pedaled across the golden Tower Bridge and straight to the illuminated state capitol, then around N to 18th to home. I look forward to a long summer of baseball whenever I need some relaxation or a really great hotdog.

First published on Adventures of American Julie (http://americanjulie.com).