Minute Maid Park: What to Know About the Home of the Houston Astros

The Los Angeles Dodgers left for Houston Thursday to prepare for Game 3 of the World Series and a much different atmosphere.

The series shifts from the league's third-oldest stadium located on a hill northeast of Los Angeles' downtown area to a 21st Century retractable roof ballpark in the shadow of downtown Houston's high-rise buildings. 

Like many Major League Baseball stadiums, Minute Maid Park has its share of oddities, quirks and signature features. For example, there's a replica of a mid-1800s locomotive and, when the stadium's roof is closed, an enormous glass wall beyond the short left-field wall (the foul pole is just 315 feet from home plate). It will all be part of the setting for the next three games of the World Series, beginning with Friday's tilt at 5:09 p.m. PT.

Below, a few things to know about Minute Maid Park. 

Location: The east side of downtown Houston.

Previously Known As...: The Ballpark at Union Station, Enron Field, Astros Field. 

About Its Predecessor: It was a futuristic first-of-its-kind marvel in its day, but the Astrodome became obsolete by the 1990s.

First Game: The first regular-season game featured the Astros and Phillies on April 7, 2000. Philadelphia won, 4-1.

Playing Surface: Natural grass

Weather or Not: Minute Maid Park features a retractable roof, which can be closed or opened in about 12 to 20 minutes. 

Seating Capacity: 41,000

Design: The stadium echoes design elements found in Houston's historic Union Station, which is one of the ways through which fans can enter the stadium. The station's lobby is the official team store. Arches, columns and other station features are found throughout the ballpark.

Field Measurements: Left field - 315 feet, left-center - 362 feet, center field - 409 feet, right-center - 373 feet, right field - 326 feet. Keep in mind that the eight home runs in Wednesday's Game 2, played at the more expansive Dodger Stadium, broke the record of seven in Game 3 of the 1989 World Series between the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants.

Home Run Alley: Located in left-center field, this porch-like structure includes a classic gasoline pump that keeps track of Astros' home runs.

Out of Left Field: There's a lot going on beyond the short left-field wall. One of the first things you'll notice is the giant retractable wall with 50,000-square-feet of glass. It provides a view of the Houston skyline and natural light, even when the roof is closed.

Railroad Ties: In another nod to Union Station, a replica of a 19th Century locomotive and coal tender runs along an 800-foot track in front of the glass wall and above a seating area.

Mascot: Orbit, a green outer space-theme creature with antennae that extend into baseballs.