Major League Baseball

Nationals 4, Braves 3 (10 innings)

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:47 p.m. ET

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ATLANTA -- Daniel Murphy came through in his first game with Washington to give Dusty Baker a victory in his debut as Nationals manager.

Murphy, who homered earlier, drove in the decisive run with a 10th-inning double as the Nationals defeated Atlanta 4-3 Monday in the 20th and final home opener for the Braves at Turner Field.

The Nationals tied it in the ninth inning to spoil things for the crowd of 48,282, then won thanks to an unearned run after second baseman Gordon Beckham threw away a grounder by Ryan Zimmerman with one out.

Murphy went the opposite way against lefty reliever Eric O'Flaherty (0-1) for a quick payoff on the three-year, $37.5 million contract he signed as a free agent after hitting seven homers in the postseason for the New York Mets last year.

Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect 10th inning to record the save and get Washington's season off to a good start.

Braves closer Jason Grilli, who sustained a ruptured Achilles tendon last July, almost got a save in his return despite the Nationals loading the bases with no outs in the ninth inning on a walk, a single and a bunt.

A throw to the plate from center fielder Ender Inciarte on a fly ball by Michael Taylor beat runner Jason Werth, but catcher A.J. Pierzynski couldn't hang onto the ball.

The Braves had gone ahead in the eighth inning as Adonis Garcia drew a four-pitch walk from Shawn Kelley with the bases loaded. It came after Washington reliever Felipe Rivero gave up a walk and a single and hit a batter.

Until the bullpens took over, all the scoring came on solo homers as both Max Scherzer for the Nationals and Julio Teheran for the Braves were stingy with baserunners.

Reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper and Murphy went deep for the Nationals, while Freddie Freeman and Garcia connected for the Braves.

Harper's first-inning homer, which was lofted to right field on a 2-2 slider, was his fifth on Opening Day in four seasons and his 14th against the Braves. He hit .369 with six homers and 16 RBIs against Atlanta last season.

The first two hits off Scherzer were homers. Freeman went deep to center field in the first inning on a 2-2 fastball, and Garcia's homer to left field in the fourth came on a hanging 0-2 slider.

Scherzer, who finished last season with his second no-hitter of the year, gave up three hits and two runs in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two, throwing 104 pitches.

Teheran threw 102 pitches in his six-inning outing, giving up five hits and two runs, walking three, hitting a batter and striking out four. Murphy's homer to center field came on a 2-0 fastball.

Blake Treinen (1-0) threw a hitless bottom of the ninth to earn the win.

The Braves will move into a new suburban ballpark in Cobb County next season.

NOTES: The series concludes Wednesday night after a day off Tuesday, with RHP Steven Strasburg starting for the Nationals against RHP Bud Norris, making his Braves debut. ... RHP Julio Teheran, who started his third consecutive opener for the Braves, will pitch twice in the first four games because of two off days. ... LHP Gio Gonzalez is slotted fifth in the Nationals' opening rotation and won't start until next Monday against the Braves at Washington in the opener of a four-game series. ... The Nationals were 4-5 against the Braves in Atlanta last season but 10-0 at home. ... It was just the third time in the past 11 years that the Braves opened at home. ... The Nationals (19-4-4) had the best spring training record, while the Braves (6-16-6) had the worst.

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