Cubs to open 2012 season at home vs. Nats

The Cubs will open the 2012 regular season on Thursday, April 5, at Wrigley Field against the Washington Nationals, Cubs officials announced Wednesday.

The Cubs will begin the 2012 campaign at home for the second year in a row and for just the third time in the last 11 seasons. The season-opening homestand features three games against Washington (April 5, 7-8) and four games against Milwaukee (April 9-12). The Cubs last opened back-to-back seasons at Wrigley Field in 1993 and 1994.

Chicago's first road trip features a three-game weekend series in St. Louis (April 13-15) and a visit to the Marlins' new ballpark for three games (April 17-19).

The 2012 schedule features five interleague series, including the traditional home-and-home sets against the White Sox (May 18-20 at Wrigley Field, June 18-20 at U.S. Cellular Field) as well as the club's first-ever visit to Minnesota's Target Field (June 8-10). The Cubs will host the Detroit Tigers June 12-14 and the Boston Red Sox June 15-17. This marks Boston's first trip to Wrigley since 2005 and Detroit's first trip to Wrigley since 2006.

Cubs 2012 schedule

(Tentative and subject to change)

April 5, 7-8: WASHINGTON (3 games)

April 9-12: MILWAUKEE (4)

April 13-15: at St. Louis (3)

April 17-19: at Miami (3)

April 20-22: CINCINNATI (3)

April 23-25: ST. LOUIS (3)

April 27-30: at Philadelphia (4)

May 1-3: at Cincinnati (3)

May 4-6: LOS ANGELES DODGERS (3)

May 7-9: ATLANTA (3)

May 11-13: at Milwaukee (3)

May 14-15: at St. Louis (2)

May 16-17: PHILADELPHIA (2)

May 18-20: WHITE SOX (3)

May 21-23: at Houston (3)

May 25-27: at Pittsburgh (3)

May 28-30: SAN DIEGO (3)

June 1-4: at San Francisco (4)

June 5-7: at Milwaukee (3)

June 8-10: at Minnesota (3)

June 12-14: DETROIT (3)

June 15-17: BOSTON (3)

June 18-20: at White Sox (3)

June 22-24: at Arizona (3)

June 25-27: NEW YORK METS (3)

June 29-July 1: HOUSTON (3)

July 2-5: at Atlanta (4)

July 6-8: at New York Mets (3)

July 10: All-Star Game in Kansas City

July 13-15: ARIZONA (3)

July 17-19: MIAMI* (3)

July 20-22: at St. Louis (3)

July 23-25: at Pittsburgh (3)

July 27-29: ST. LOUIS (3)

July 30-Aug. 1: PITTSBURGH (3)

Aug. 3-5: at Los Angeles Dodgers (3)

Aug. 6-8: at San Diego (3)

Aug. 9-12: CINCINNATI (4)

Aug. 13-15: HOUSTON (3)

Aug. 17-19: at Cincinnati (3)

Aug. 20-22: at Milwaukee (3)

Aug. 24-26: COLORADO (3)

Aug. 27-30: MILWAUKEE (4)

Aug. 31-Sept. 2: SAN FRANCISCO (3)

Sept. 3-6: at Washington (4)

Sept. 7-9: at Pittsburgh (3)

Sept. 10-12: at Houston (3)

Sept. 14-17: PITTSBURGH (4)

Sept. 18-20: CINCINNATI (3)

Sept. 21-23: ST. LOUIS (3)

Sept. 25-27: at Colorado (3)

Sept. 28-30: at Arizona (3)

Oct. 1-3: HOUSTON (3)

* Florida Marlins will change name to Miami Marlins in 2012