WASHINGTON — Nationals Park had quite an opening.
Ryan Zimmerman hit a tiebreaking homer off Peter Moylan with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Sunday night in the first regular-season game at the $611 million stadium.
With the dome of the U.S. Capitol lit up against the black night sky beyond left field, and the Washington Monument visible from patches of the upper deck, Zimmerman raised his right fist as he rounded first base. Teammates spilled out of the dugout — it’s along the first-base line now, not the third-base line, like at old RFK Stadium — and greeted the face of the franchise at home plate for celebratory pounds on the back.
Twenty-four straight Washington batters had made outs before the home run — Washington’s fourth hit of the game and first since the first inning.
Nick Johnson delivered an RBI double in his first at-bat in more than 18 months, Odalis Perez matched Tim Hudson, and Jon Rauch (1-0) earned the victory after blowing a save in the top of the ninth.
All in all, it sent the paid crowd of 39,389 heading away with even more to smile about than the gleaming white-stone-and-glass ballpark.
With President Bush on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, the Nationals had their first victory in a season opener in four tries since moving to the nation’s capital from Montreal.
Zimmerman was larger than life as he rounded the bases, then came out of the dugout for a curtain call — it all was shown on the 4,500-plus square foot high-definition video board above right-center, the most immediately noticeable perk of the new digs.

Nationals 3, Braves 2

ATLANTA                    WASHINGTON
    ab    r    h    bi        ab    r    h    bi
Jhnson 2b    4    0    1    0    Gzman ss    4    1    1    0
Escbar ss    3    0    0    0    Mlldge cf    4    0    0    0
Jones 3b    4    1    1    1    Zmrmn 3b    4    1    1    1
Tixeira 1b    4    0    1    0    Jhnson 1b    3    1    1    1
Prado 1b    0    1    0    0    Kearns rf    3    0    1    1
Frncur rf    4    0    1    0    L duca c    3    0    0    0
Mccann c    4    0    1    0    Dukes lf    2    0    0    0
Diaz lf    3    0    0    0    Harris lf    1    0    0    0
Kotsay cf    3    0    0    0    Blliard 2b    3    0    0    0
Hudson p    1    0    0    0    Perez p    1    0    0    0
Pena ph    0    0    0    0    Mckwk ph    1    0    0    0
Blanco pr    0    0    0    0    Rivera p    0    0    0    0
Ohman p    0    0    0    0    King p    0    0    0    0
Moylan p    0    0    0    0    Ayala p    0    0    0    0
                    Lopez ph    1    0    0    0
                    Rauch p    0    0    0    0
Totals    30    2    5    1    Totals    30    3    4    3
Atlanta    000    100    001    —    2
Washington    200    000    001    —    3
Two outs when winning run scored.
E—Hudson (1), Guzman (1). LOB—Atlanta 4, Washington 1. 2B—Teixeira (1), Johnson (1). HR—Jones (1), Zimmerman (1). CS—Johnson (1). S—Hudson.
    IP    H    R    ER    BB    SO
Atlanta
Hudson    7    3    2    2    0    3
Ohman    1/3    0    0    0    0    0
Moylan L, 0-1    11/3    1    1    1    0    2
Washington
Perez    5    4    1    1    1    2
Rivera    2    0    0    0    0    1
King    2/3    0    0    0    1    0
Ayala    1/3    0    0    0    0    0
Rauch W,1-0    1    1    1    0    0    0
PB—Lo duca.
Umpires—Home, Mike Reilly; First, Bob Davidson; Second, Alfonso Marquez; Third, Andy Fletcher.
T—2:22. A—39,389 (41,888).

In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered, click here.
If you are registered, click here to log in.
Need help? Email Us.