2012 Washington Nationals season
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
24 May 1 Diamondbacks 1-5 Cahill ( 2-2 ) Zimmermann ( 1-2 ) 22,675 14-9
25 May 2 Diamondbacks 5-4 Rodríguez ( 1-1 ) Putz ( 0-2 ) 16,274 15-9
26 May 3 Diamondbacks 2-1 Detwiler ( 3-1 ) Kennedy ( 3-1 ) Rodríguez ( 6 ) 19,656 16-9
27 May 4 Phillies 4-3 ( 11 ) Perry ( 1-0 ) Schwimer ( 0-1 ) 34,377 17-9
28 May 5 Phillies 7-1 Gonzalez ( 3-1 ) Worley ( 2-2 ) 39,496 18-9
29 May 6 Phillies 3-9 Hamels ( 4-1 ) Zimmermann ( 1-3 ) 33,058 18-10
30 May 8 @ Pirates 4-5 Watson ( 2-0 ) Rodríguez ( 1-2 ) 10,323 18-11
31 May 9 @ Pirates 2-4 Lincoln ( 2-0 ) Detwiler ( 3-2 ) Hanrahan ( 6 ) 11,478 18-12
32 May 10 @ Pirates 4-2 Strasburg ( 3-0 ) Correia ( 1-3 ) Rodríguez ( 7 ) 15,381 19-12
33 May 11 @ Reds 7-3 Gonzalez ( 4-1 ) Leake ( 0-5 ) 37,255 20-12
34 May 12 @ Reds 2-1 Zimmermann ( 2-3 ) Arredondo ( 2-1 ) Rodríguez ( 8 ) 42,294 21-12
35 May 13 @ Reds 6-9 Marshall ( 1-2 ) Rodríguez ( 1-3 ) 28,361 21-13
36 May 14 Padres 8-5 Stammen ( 3-0 ) Mikolas ( 0-1 ) Burnett ( 1 ) 19,434 22-13
37 May 15 Padres 1-6 Bass ( 2-4 ) Strasburg ( 3-1 ) 23,902 22-14
38 May 16 Pirates 7-4 Gonzalez ( 5-1 ) Bédard ( 2-5 ) Rodríguez ( 9 ) 25,942 23-14
39 May 17 Pirates 3-5 McDonald ( 3-2 ) Zimmermann ( 2-4 ) Hanrahan ( 8 ) 25,757 23-15
40 May 18 Orioles 1-2 ( 11 ) Gregg ( 2-1 ) Mattheus ( 2-1 ) Strop ( 3 ) 36,680 23-16
41 May 19 Orioles 5-6 Hammel ( 5-1 ) Detwiler ( 3-3 ) Johnson ( 15 ) 42,331 23-17
42 May 20 Orioles 9-3 Strasburg ( 4-1 ) Chen ( 4-1 ) 41,918 24-17
43 May 21 @ Phillies 2-1 Gonzalez ( 6-1 ) Kendrick ( 0-4 ) Burnett ( 2 ) 43,787 25-17
The Washington Nationals' 2012 season was the eighth season for the baseball franchise of Major League Baseball in the District of Columbia, the fifth season at Nationals Park, and the 44th since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec. After finishing the previous season in third place with an 80-81 record, out of last place in the NL East for the second time since moving to Washington, the Nationals made several moves to pursue playoff contention in 2012 and beyond. Despite being plagued with injuries, the Nationals had an impressive start to the season, never dropping below the .500 mark and consistently holding first or second place in their division. On September 3, the Nationals won their 82nd game of the season, making this season their first winning season since moving to Washington, D.C. in 2005 and the first for the franchise since 2003. On September 20, the Nationals beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch the franchise's first postseason berth since 1981, and the first for a Washington-based team since the Washington Senators won the American League pennant in 1933. On October 1, the Nationals clinched the National League East division. On October 3, they went on to clinch the best record in Major League Baseball at 98-64. They finished the season with a 98-64 record and played the St. Louis Cardinals in the Divisional Series. On October 12, in Game 5 of the NLDS, they lost to the Cardinals 9-7 and were eliminated.