WASHINGTON - Rick Ankiel drove in three runs with a homer and suicide-squeeze bunt, Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos each had three hits and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on a dreary Saturday.
In a game that included two rain delays totaling 87 minutes, Ankiel's two-run homer run highlighted a three-run third inning off Tommy Hanson (0-1). Ankiel put down his bunt in the seventh.
Werth, who signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with Washington in December, had doubles in the first and third innings and a single in the fourth. Ramos, set to split the catching duties with Ivan Rodriguez, hit three singles.
John Lannan (1-0) got the win, Washington's first of the season.
Lannan worked five innings, allowing a run and five hits, and five relievers finished up.
Chad Gaudin allowed a leadoff home run to Dan Uggla in the sixth and Drew Storen gave up an eighth-inning home run to Alex Gonzalez. Sean Burnett pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for his first save.
Gonzalez had three hits for the Braves.
Hanson gave up three earned runs in 3 2-3 innings and came out after the second 55-minute rain delay in the fourth.
The Nationals scored their first run in the second on Danny Espinosa's sacrifice fly. Atlanta tied it in third on Chipper Jones' RBI single.
Werth doubled in the third, Ryan Zimmerman was hit by a pitch and Michael Morse had a sacrifice fly. Ankiel's first home run gave the Nationals a 4-1 lead.
Gaudin began the sixth and Uggla hit his first pitch into the left-field stands.
The Nationals scored their fifth run in the seventh on Zimmerman's triple and Ankiel's suicide squeeze sacrifice.
Gonzalez's home run in the eighth made it 5-3.
Zimmerman drove in Washington's final run with an eighth-inning single.
NOTES: Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said that for the time being he would divide the playing time of Ramos and Rodriguez. Later in the season, he expects Ramos to play more. Riggleman discussed the situation with Rodriguez, and he reacted favorably. "We've got to develop Ramos' game," Riggleman said. Rodriguez can catch several more years, Riggleman believes, and the 39-year-old is eager to work with Ramos. "He's the future of our ballclub," Rodriguez said. "There's still a lot of baseball in me." ... Braves RHP Jair Jurrens, who's been slowed with a rib cage injury, will throw again on the side on Sunday, manager Fredi Gonzalez said. It's possible he could still make his scheduled start on Wednesday in Milwaukee, but could also make a minor league start before returning to the rotation. ... The game's start was delayed by 32 minutes.