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PHOTOS: View BONUS images from the game.

BY BILL FREEHLING

Let's start with the negatives.

The Washington Nationals lost their opener 9-2. Their ace pitcher went just 3.2 innings and gave up six runs. RFK stadium had about 5,000 more empty seats than during the 2005 home opener. And the Nationals' starting center fielder got hurt.

Now the positives.

More than 40,000 people showed up to RFK to watch the last opening game the Nationals will play at the stadium. Budding star Ryan Zimmerman collected two more hits. And then there was the weather.

The 80-degree sunshine proved too enticing for Jerry Brent and many others. Brent, a Fredericksburg resident, took the afternoon off from his job with the federal government to come watch the Nats open the season.

"It's just too good of a day," Brent said.

Fans started filling the parking lots of RFK well before 11 a.m. The game started at 1 p.m.

Among the tailgaters were Fauquier County residents Albert Sabruno and his father-in-law, Duane Aimes.

The two men expressed a sentiment shared by many at the game--that the Nationals may not be among baseball's best this year, but just be patient.

Sabruno said he thought the team was "promising." He said the new ownership is taking the team in the right direction by focusing on developing young talent. Like many at the game, they thought especially highly of Zimmerman.

So does David Baylor of King George, who feels the ascent of the former University of Virginia star lessens the loss of Alfonso Soriano.

"I like the new management," Baylor said. "And they have guys like Zimmerman and [Chad] Cordero."

As the jazz band Dixie Devils played "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," a long line gathered outside the stadium before it opened.

One of the men in line was Todd Fielding of Ashburn. He works as a substitute teacher, but it's spring break. So while his wife worked, he took himself out to the ball game.

"With the kids off from school this was just a great day to come down," Fielding said. "I'm playing hookey today, I admit."

At 11:30 a.m., people in line heard the ticket-takers yell "OK, let 'em in." People got free red Nationals hats courtesy of Tickets.com. Nationals players, including Shawn Hill and Dmitri Young, came to the gates to greet fans.

Inside the stadium, a giant American flag was unfurled during the national anthem. Two U.S. Navy fighter jets buzzed the field, and new Nationals manager Manny Acta threw a perfect strike while tossing the first pitch.

And then the game started, and things went downhill. But the fans didn't seem too dejected. People like Dwayne and Rebecca Bowman of Sumerduck were already looking to next year, when the new stadium opens.

Plus, it was 85 degrees, the sun was shining and most people at RFK had the afternoon off. Overall, not too shabby of an afternoon.

"Beats work," Sabruno said.