By Brian Barefield and Natasha Gransberry, Sports Writers

Most avid baseball fans would agree that there is only one inning they really care about and that is the seventh inning. Usually referred to as the “seventh inning stretch,” where fans sing “take me out to the ballgame,” and eat a good ol’ American hotdog. Extra time is allotted for the players and fans to prepare for the final three innings. Well, the Houston Astros (45-22) decided that they would give their fans that break a little early by putting up nine-runs in the sixth inning for a 13-2 win over in-state rival and winner of the two previous games, Texas Ranger (32-33).

For 23-year-old outfielder Derek Fisher the sixth inning will forever be etched in his memory. The outfielder who was called up on Wednesday morning to replace injured outfielder Josh Reddick (concussion protocol) had two hits in that inning. But it was the first one that was impressive. Fisher blasted a massive home run that led to a scoring onslaught and brought the Astros bats to life. How ironic that he did it against the team that drafted him right out of high school (Rangers). No player since Adam Larouche (2004) has had two hits in the same inning. “I can’t say that I would expect to have something like that my first night. But definitely happy that it happened.” So, are the fans, young man.

Fisher wasn’t the only impressive rookie the Astros put on display on Wednesday night. The number one prospect in the Astros minor league system and the No. 15 prospect as ranked by MLB.com, 21-year old RHP Francis Martes, gave Houston fans a glimpse into the future. After striking out 12 of the first 14 batters he faced through four innings, Martes ran into a bit of a jam in the top of the fifth inning. He started the inning by giving up a single to Jonathan Lucroy, walked Joey Gallo, and hit Jurickson Profar to load the bases with no outs. This was reminiscent of the last two nights when the Astros gave up late runs to the Rangers in defeat. But tonight, history would not repeat itself. The right-hander struck out the next batter (Jared Hoying). In that sequence, he gave up a run on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 2-1 and walked the next batter (Delino DeShields) to re-load the bases. If the Astros coaching staff had any concerns about how Martes handles the pressure I am pretty sure all their fears were put to rest after he settled down and got Choo to pop out and then struck out the next batter looking. Catastrophe averted. It led the Astros skipper A.J. Hinch to say, “If he can command the baseball. He can do just about anything he wants.”

Led by the usual suspects of potential 2017 American League All-Stars Jose Altuve (.320 avg), George Springer (18 HR and 43 RBI) and Carlos Correa (leads all AL SS with 40 RBI), the major league leaders in wins (45), snapped a 3-game losing streak and got back to its winning ways. Hopefully, this will carry over as the Boston Red Sox stroll into town for a three-game series.

Something that will most certainly carry over are the great food offerings at Minute Maid. What’s a ballgame without hotdogs and Cracker Jacks? It just completes the fan experience. I discovered a really good time to go for a drink or snack is before the game or at the top of the fourth inning. I find it easy to move around, grab food, and return to my seat without missing the best parts of the game.

Before I settled in for the second game in this Astros and Rangers series I decided to grab a snack. After loving the view of kids in line ready to watch batting practice and attend the game, I set my mind on trying some of the more premium stadium food offerings. All the excitement in the eyes of the youth gave me the idea to try something that would make my eyes big as well. My eyes danced all over the menu until I finally settled on the chicken and waffle sandwich loaded with ranch dressing, bacon, and a nice jalapeño relish with a side of fries. Yes, it was delicious. The upside to the sandwich was the awesome relish and ranch dressing combination. It complimented the golden fried chicken perfectly giving the sandwich a sweet, tangy taste.

The sandwich proved to not only be a hardy meal but also the perfect food to have when cheering on the Astros when plays like Springer’s home run are made. Cutting it half allows you to have one for feeding your face and the other hand to fist pump as the Astros rack up points. Try this sandwich next time you are at Minute Maid. Find it on the club level.

By the end of the night, Odor stole the air out of the stadium with the home runs in the seventh and eighth inning. Fans hoped for the best but the night ended with a satisfied belly and a loss. The American League West took a small hit but fans know they will bounce back real soon.