Nationals Host ESPN Opener; Rangers to Visit

The Washington Nationals yesterday released the schedule for their first season at Nationals Park, an 81-game slate anchored by a nationally televised Sunday night opener and featuring a visit from the Texas Rangers -- the return of the former Washington Senators, who departed for the Dallas suburbs after the 1971 season, leaving the District without a baseball team for 33 years.

The Nationals' season will open March 30 against the Atlanta Braves, a one-game "series" at 8 p.m. that will be televised by ESPN. Though the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics will have played regular season games in Japan by the time the Nationals open, the game against the Braves will be the first regular season game in the United States.

The club has invited President Bush to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the opener. Bush threw out the first pitch at RFK Stadium in 2005, when baseball returned to Washington.

In a statement, Nationals President Stan Kasten said the club is "honored to host ESPN's prestigious Sunday night game and introduce Nationals Park to baseball fans worldwide."

After the opener -- which will be preceded by an exhibition game at Nationals Park against the Baltimore Orioles the day before -- the Nationals will be on the road for six games, three each in Philadelphia and St. Louis. They will return home for the first true homestand April 7 for the first of three games against the Florida Marlins, followed by the first weekend home series, against the Braves.

In interleague play, the Nationals will play at Baltimore May 16-18, then host the Orioles June 27-29. They will host the Rangers June 20-22. The Los Angeles Angels will follow June 23-25. They also play at Seattle (June 13-15) and play at Minnesota (June 17-19) for the second year in a row.

-- Barry Svrluga