Opening series D-backs @ Nats

[tommahawk]

Fans will get to see a regular season Major League Baseball game for the first time since 1971, when the Senators were in the AL East.

Over 45,000 fans are expected to attend and they have good reason to cheer for the Nationals. The Nationals enter Thursday's game in a first-place tie with the Braves and Marlins in the NL East, and three of the Nationals' four victories this season have come when they were down in the late innings

"Once we hear the noise people make in that ballpark, it will be nice reward for these players," Robinson said. "It will be nice to see the fans in the seats. We'll have the majority of them cheering for us."



source (http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050413&content_id=1014709&vkey=news_was&fext=.jsp&c_id=was)

So like many Diamondbacks, Clark understands the significance of what he is getting into today, when major league baseball returns to the nation’s capital after a 34-year absence. He cannot wait.

"You become part of baseball history. Baseball trivia,’’ Clark said. "You hear guys talking, ‘Remember that game in ’58? Can you name the lineup?’ It’s always special to be part of a historic day.’’



http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39568

[whitskins]

Have a good show today Nats! I like this team they are a fun group to watch.

[tommahawk]

DIAMONDBACKS PROBABLE STARTER: Javier Vazquez (0-1, 15.43 ERA). The 28-year-old right-hander has been awful so far, allowing a combined 13 runs and 15 hits over just seven innings in a pair of starts. Vazquez spent the first six years of his career with the Expos, compiling a 64-68 record before he was traded to the New York Yankees prior to last season. He has never faced his former team.

NATIONAL PROBABLE STARTER: Livan Hernandez (0-1, 5.40 ERA). Hernandez followed up a shaky season-opening start with seven solid innings on Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 245-pound righty allowed one unearned run and five hits in the Nationals' 3-2 win over Florida. He is 7-6 with a 3.69 ERA in 15 career starts against the Diamondbacks.



source (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/preview?gameId=250414120)


I like the pitching matchup for tonight.
It would be great to open RFK with a win.

[SkinsKY]

I'd like to see a home-opening Nats win for my birthday!

[PennSkinsFan]

Come on Nats!!!!!!! I feel a sweep!

[LATrueRedskin]

I'm looking for a real strong outing by Hernandez today. I bet the players are thrilled to play in front of a FULL stadium of their HOME fans.

[nicefellow31]

I just wanted to say "Go Nats!" I was only four years old when the Senators left town and have vague memories of them. I was a casual baseball fans over the years, but now I have been following Nationals like they were the Skins. Somewhere, Shirley Povich is smiling.

[Jimreaper007]

Go Nats...so far Hernandez is putting Diamondbacks to sleep.

[suppitty]

5-0 in the 6th!!! Livan Hernandez up at bat. Vinny castilla is a single shy of the cycle.

[hail2skins]

Congratulations Nationals on your first home win in Washington, DC.

[suppitty]

Nats win!! too bad Livan couldn't finish it off. Hitting Castilla was a joke.

[LATrueRedskin]

Congrats to the Nats and the fans on the win! The fans at the stadium were great, and I'm sure the players felt the energy. Hitting Castilla was lame as hell btw.

[PennSkinsFan]

EXCELLENT. Great game by Livan. Super game by Castilla. Nats are 6-4 in sole possession of first place in the NL East!

[whitskins]

Nice win tonight! Really liking this team, great job guys.

[bfauble83]

Great game, the best I've seen them play so far...Castilla was a moster, hitting him was so busch league its not even funny. Someone is going to get drilled for that I'm sure. Saturdays matchup is Day vs Ortiz.

[JoeDaSchmoe]

Man, what a great day. Managed to watch about six inning of the game, but those included the beginning and the end, which, of course, were the most important parts. Hitting Castilla was a ridiculously cheap shot. Livan was tore it up for eight innings, and I'm beginning to think that I'll actually have a lot of confidence in our starting pitching once Tony Armas comes off the DL. And, speaking of pitches, Dubya threw out a pretty nice one to start things off.

Anyways, tonight I go to bed with a smile on my face. Go Nats!

[RedskinsVision]

it was surreal to see RFK rocking again. the stands behind the Nats dugout was bouncing like the good old days. Livan had a 1 hitter into the 9th.. someone will drill Luis Gonzales for what they did to Vinny. awesome win.. DC is back.

[bgforever]

Finally some some action all night on all our local stations! These guys look great and it was a heartwarming experience to see the STANDS rocking like that 1982 NFC Championship game against Dallas! In fact it was mentioned in the news on the net, I believe at MLB.COM and Yahoo.com!

Nats Rock! Congrats on an unforgettable opening day win. Well guess we'll have to see how long they can sustain a few strings of victories against the backdrop of some bad games, bound to happen.

[JakeIron]

What a great win, and especially what a special atmosphere. I wish I could attend a game this year. I hope the fans keep the RFK rocking all year!!!

[thecheat48]

Wish I coulda been at RFK. I was at my office in Oakland, listening to the game on MLB.com (its about $15 for the whole season for those out of the DC area who want to listen to games) and the announcers were talking about the stands bouncing and we're almost scared. Guess they never went to a skins game (or united game).

G-damn i miss RFK. Can the skins please play one more game their before i die?

[RedskinsDave]

It was a blast. I think RFK looked great (at least what could be controlled). There's really not a bad seat in the house and it's nice to be in the upper deck of a place and not be a mile away from the field because of club seats and suites. I missed the first run but am glad I saw Bush's pitch and the first home run and the fireworks that were set off when it was hit. The medallion they gave out on the way out of the game was really cool.

Now for the negatives...Security was tight and it took way too long to get in. They actually had the Secret Service Uniform Division (the guys who stand around the White House and Embassies). I think it's so stupid that people have to leave behind mini pocket knives. What are they going to do that they can't find something inside the stadium to do it with?

The concessions were a joke. Where there wasn't a line 100 deep, they ran out of things, at least upstairs. My girl and I actually walked all the way downstairs to get a beer because all that was left was Bud in the 3rd inning!!

All in all though, it was a great and I think that team may be better than advertised (.500 I mean, not playoffs).

[tommahawk]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- It didn't take long for this troupe of ex-Expos to figure out they weren't in Montreal anymore.

There was the sellout crowd of 45,596, jumping in place to celebrate each of the Washington Nationals' runs in a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night, making ol' RFK Stadium sway like it hadn't for baseball in 34 years.

"It was amazing to see. Honestly, it was more than I expected. They lived and died with every pitch," left fielder Brad Wilkerson said. "You know it's going to be a great place to play."

SI (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/baseball/mlb/04/14/diamondbacks.nationals.ap/index.html)

[PennSkinsFan]

Nats up 4-0 in the seventh. John Patterson who is starting in place of the injured Tony Armas, ishaving his second straight stellar performance so far. 7 Innings, 0 runs,on 6 strikeouts. He has lowered his ERA so far to 1.29.

[hail2skins]

The score is now 9-3 going into the bottom of the 8th.

[whitskins]

This team is pretty darn exciting, I'm looking forward to taking in some games this summer.

[bfauble83]

Great win, the bats really came alive. Patterson was impressive, too bad the bullpen had to make it interesting at the end. Vinny Castilla is still batting 1.000 at RFK.

[Dre-The-Great]

Bring the brooms out...what a series by the Nats.

[whitskins]

Great job by the Nats. And the Wiz are in the playoffs, hopefully the Skins are taking notes.

[Bigskinbauer]

Great job by the Nats. And the Wiz are in the playoffs, hopefully the Skins are taking notes.
:)

[JoeDaSchmoe]

Anyone see any dirt I can use this broom on?

[hail2skins]

It was a blast. I think RFK looked great (at least what could be controlled). There's really not a bad seat in the house and it's nice to be in the upper deck of a place and not be a mile away from the field because of club seats and suites. I missed the first run but am glad I saw Bush's pitch and the first home run and the fireworks that were set off when it was hit. The medallion they gave out on the way out of the game was really cool.

Now for the negatives...Security was tight and it took way too long to get in. They actually had the Secret Service Uniform Division (the guys who stand around the White House and Embassies). I think it's so stupid that people have to leave behind mini pocket knives. What are they going to do that they can't find something inside the stadium to do it with?

The concessions were a joke. Where there wasn't a line 100 deep, they ran out of things, at least upstairs. My girl and I actually walked all the way downstairs to get a beer because all that was left was Bud in the 3rd inning!!

All in all though, it was a great and I think that team may be better than advertised (.500 I mean, not playoffs).

Yeah, I heard they ran out of food in the upper decks forcing people to walk down to get food. You just don't run out of dogs at a baseball game. I also hear Metro was running trains very slow after the game and some people said they didn't get home until after midnight. It's probaby Metro trying to make a point with the city because they want more money from the city to run trains after games.

[GibbsRules!]

The Nats are impressive! I'll be pulling for them in the NL.

[JakeIron]

Yea, what a great day. Nats win 5th in the row (O's too) and they top their division by two games. I knew they upgraded the team a lot from last year but to be in the drivers seat after 12 games in probably the most competitive division, that's something.(And also our junior football team here in Finland moved 3-0 yesterday, It was my third game as OC and it's a lot of fun).