VIERA, Fla. - It had been 12,207 days since a team represented Washington on a major league diamond.

For the fans and the players, it seemed to be worth the wait, even if this was only spring training.

With "Nationals" stitched on home white jerseys for the first time, and with a vocal near-sellout crowd in the stands, the team formerly known as the Montreal Expos went out and beat the New York Mets and new manager Willie Randolph 5-3 Wednesday.

It was the first major league game for a Washington-based team since the Senators left for Texas after the 1971 season.

"We're the Washington Nationals now, we're not the Montreal Expos anymore," said outfielder Jose Guillen, who hit a two-run homer in his first game since being acquired from the Angels. "It's nice to be in one place, and not traveling like those guys were traveling last year.

"That's one of the reasons (general manager Jim Bowden) brought me here. I said, `If you're in the same situation, don't even ask me here.' He promised me we were going to have a home."

It's about time, after the Expos weathered the threat of contraction, "home" games in Puerto Rico, and a drawn-out agreement to move to Washington.

"It was special because of the situation. We're all aware of it. You always try to keep your perspective that it's an exhibition game," Nationals manager Frank Robinson said. "It's the next step, getting a little closer to the real thing, and you do get excited about that. You can't get too up, though."

Tell that to the fans.

An announced sellout of 7,558 began arriving more than five hours before game time, hoping for a photo, autograph - or just a glimpse of a player. The line at the stadium gates was several dozen deep when they opened 1½ hours before the first pitch.

The attendance was higher than it was at half of the team's final 14 games in Montreal - and those were real regular-season contests, against fully stocked major league opponents.

Even the Mets were impressed by the turnout.

"It was pretty cool. It's not often that the first game of spring training is nationally televised," said New York starter Tom Glavine, who allowed two hits in two scoreless innings. "I'm happy for those guys,"

In an odd bookend, Glavine happened to be the starter for the Expos' last game, an 8-1 loss to the Mets on Oct. 3.

Washington's starters sprinted out on the field at 1:02 p.m., and a minute later came another first in Nationals history, albeit a tad more dubious: the debut of the team theme song, "We Are the Washington Nationals," which sounded like AC/DC. Blessid Union of Souls recorded the song and offered it to Bowden.

"I was wondering, 'What's going on?' It was like head-banging, then it said 'Nationals' and it was pretty cool," outfielder Brad Wilkerson said. "It's pretty cool to have your own song. It was pretty upbeat. We didn't have a song in Montreal."

There was a lot the team didn't have in its previous home, including stability, much money to spend on top players and - last season, anyway - a ton of victories.

There were a lot of positive signs Wednesday.

Starter Tony Armas Jr., who missed most of the past two seasons after major shoulder surgery, worked two hitless innings with two strikeouts. He threw 28 pitches and said he didn't feel any pain. The three key new position players - Guillen, Cristian Guzman and Vinny Castilla - each had a hit. Jose Vidro, who missed the final six weeks last season to have right knee surgery, singled and scored a run.

Chad Cordero struck out the side in the ninth, putting the Nationals' first victory in the books.

That was 2 hours, 33 minutes after the first pitch: a ball, outside, at 1:06 p.m.

"It's the first spring training pitch. I hope I catch the first pitch" of the regular season, catcher Brian Schneider said. "I hope it's not hit anywhere."