Astros release 2012 schedule

For the 26th time in the last 31 years, the Astros will open the regular season at home when they begin the 2012 campaign against the Colorado Rockies on Friday, April 6 at Minute Maid Park in the first of a three-game series.

The schedule, which was released Wednesday, has the Astros opening the season at home with a pair of three-game series against Colorado and Atlanta, including an April 10 game against the Braves that will take place on the 50th anniversary of the franchise’s first game in 1962.

As a bonus, Astros fans will have the chance to get a sneak peek at the 2012 Astros prior to Opening Day when the Chicago White Sox visit Houston for two exhibition games, April 3-4.

The Astros will finish the season on the road at Wrigley Field – one of four trips the team will make to Chicago in 2012 – with the finale coming Oct. 3. Houston will face the Cubs three times in the Windy City, in addition to an Interleague Series against the White Sox in Chicago, June 8-10.

Houston’s first road game of the season will be April 13 with the Astros getting their first look at the Marlins new ballpark, which opens next year, and playing their first game against the soon-to-be re-named Miami Marlins.

In addition to the White Sox, the Astros will play the Kansas City Royals (June 19-20) and Cleveland Indians (June 22-24) at home during Interleague play, as well as their annual home-and-home series against the Texas Rangers.

The Astros will play host to the Rangers May 18-20 and will be in Arlington June 15-17, both of which are weekend series. Texas has won the Lone Star Series from the Astros in each of the last three seasons, winning four of six games this year.

Because of the unbalanced Interleague schedule, the Astros will make two trips to San Francisco – June 12-14 and July 13-15.

The Phillies, who now feature former Astros outfielder Hunter Pence, make their lone visit to Houston for three games Sept. 13-16, and the Cardinals will play at Minute Maid Park three times – May 4-6, June 5-7 and Sept. 24-26.

The Astros will play 17 of 22 games at home from April 30-May 23, with the team’s longest road trip of the season coming July 13-22 when it heads out west for three games in San Francisco, four games in San Diego and for three games in Arizona.

But don’t make holiday plans to see baseball in Houston. The Astros will be on the road on July 4 in Pittsburgh, in Colorado on Memorial Day on May 28 and in Pittsburgh on Labor Day on Sept. 3.

Here is the schedule: