HOUSTON -- Home-field advantage can stem from a lot of things beyond crowd support. Players love routines, and the luxury of sleeping in a familiar bed or eating something that doesn't come on a room service tray could provide the slightest edge. Hitters develop a comfort level with outfield backdrops and indoor batting cages, and pitchers grow accustomed to the feel of a mound or even a familiar vantage point to watch from the dugout or the bullpen.
But in the Houston Astros' postseason fairy tale world, it's hard to overstate the impact of the loud, raucous, passionate and relentlessly upbeat crowds that have packed Minute Maid Park since early September.