Opening Night: Braves Usher In SunTrust Park Era With A Win

SOUTH COBB, GA -- The post-game fireworks that illuminated the sky above SunTrust Park were a nice touch Friday, but the night was electric long before that as the Atlanta Braves ushered in their new stadium with a 5-2 over the San Diego Padres. More than 41,000 people attended the game, a rousing affair featuring jet flyovers, live music, a legends "welcome home" and thousands of Tomahawk Chops swinging in the air.

Early reports indicated that the much-feared traffic pileup that many envisioned never materialized as vehicles flowed freely around Cobb Parkway onto Interstate 285 and 75 without little problems. There were some reported issues with Uber though; several reports surfaced of the app not working in the vicinity of the stadium before the game, causing many to hail cabs.

Friday night was not just about sports and a new home season for the Braves, it marked Cobb's emergence as a big-time sports venue and entertainment district. Area restaurants were alive with business, Cobb has become a premiere nighttime destination.

Read more: Pics: This Is What Inside SunTrust Park Looks Like

As for the game, fans had the stadium rocking and rolling as the Braves were in a close game before pulling away late. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Atlanta outfielder Ender Inciarte turned in a hat trick of sorts, giving the Braves their first hit, first run, then first home run in the new ballpark.

The festivities kicked off with a "welcome home" featuring several of the Braves' stars from yesteryear, including Hank Aaron, Bobby Cox, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro and John Smoltz. Georgia native Phillip Phillips sang the national anthem, culminating with four fighter jets -- F/A-18A+ Hornets from VFC-12 out of Oceana, Va. -- doing a flyover.

Fans also got to the see the statue of Aaron, which shows the moment of impact during his home run that broke Babe Ruth's record. Aaron did the ceremonial first pitch, followed by Cox leading the crowd in the inaugural Tomahawk Chop at the ballpark.

As awesome as the night was, can the Braves do it again. Saturday's game against the Padres starts at 7:10 p.m. While it won't have the same pomp and circumstance as Friday, it will be a chance to set the tone for SunTrust Park, where the Braves are undefeated in their only game.

The Braves are strongly encouraging fans to purchase pre-paid parking passes to games as they will help alleviate delays around the stadium.

Images via Craig Johnson / Patch