It shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to get to the stadium… Parking for the stadium is a mixture of some free parking on the road(which I would suggest avoiding unless you really know the area.. it’s easy to get parking tickets) and multiple pay to park lots around the stadium.. Parking runs anywhere from $5-20 depending on how far you want to walk.

I always get to the games 1 hr before… but I like to get to my seat and relax before the game.. if you just want to get there in time for the game and not deal with a huge crowd, then 15-20 minutes before game time should be okay.

Friday night has a few promotions including fireworks after the game(see below)

Drawstring Bag
1st 10,000 Fans
Presented by Methodist Cancer Center

Coca-Cola Value Nights
This great promotions scores you 4 mezzanine-level tickets, 4 Cokes, 4 Hot Dogs and 2 Astros caps for only $75 with the label from a 2-liter bottle of specially-marked Coca-Cola product! Present the label at the Minute Maid Park Box Office or enter the code on the inside of the label at astros.com/valuenights.
Presented by Coca-Cola

You can buy tickets at the game if you want… either at the ticket office or there are always people outside the stadium selling tickets. I would guess that you’d probably be able to get 4 tickets together pretty much anywhere… but don’t hold me to that.

The sun will go down around 7:30 or 8, so the sun won’t be too much of a problem… the only seats totally out of the sun will be the crawford boxes.

1. your commute will be much shorter on Saturday night, avoiding the evening traffic. 30 minutes without traffic is probably about right, but it can be a bit unpredictable, especially since where you’re coming from, you’ll have to negotiate at least three major highways. i’d plan on being conservative and if you’re early, there are a couple decent bars across from the home plate entrance to grab some cheaper beers before going into the stadium.

2. Friday night has the fireworks, which are surprisingly good for just a postgame display. Saturday would be a little earlier, in case you’re interested in more postgame frivolity (there are some pretty decent bars on main street about a five or six block walk into downtown from the stadium… my personal recommendation would be The Flying Saucer). Also, the driving and parking situation might be a bit easier on Saturday. If you’re going to shoot for free parking, just make sure you READ THE SIGNS. some spots are free on Saturdays before 6pm, some aren’t. feeding the meter for an hour or so is cheaper than a pay lot though.

3. There’s a distinct possibility that either game might be a “sell out”. i don’t have a whole lot of experience buying off the street or at one of the more legit resale stands across from the stadium, but it’s possible you might be stuck with SRO if you wait to buy them at the ticket booth right before the game. I think the Friday through Sunday Phillies games were all sellouts (I know Saturday and Sunday were), and assuming we don’t take a major nose dive this week on the road, that St. Louis series should be pretty packed.

4. I’m sure the roof will be closed both nights, so I don’t think it’s TOO big a deal which side you’re on for shade puroses, but the first base line side or the right field side would certainly avoid any sun in your eyes. I’m of the opinion that there really aren’t any bad seats at minute maid, so I don’t think you can really go wrong.

Have fun, and if you need any more tips, let us know.

Maybe I misread littlevisigoth’s post, but I sit on the right field side and the sun will definitely be in your eyes on Saturday for an hour or so, due to the earlier start. If you end up with SRO tickets, you can always head to 9 Amigos bar in centerfield and hang there. The two lowest levels are reserved seating, but the upper level is first-come, first-served. It does tend to draw quite a crowd though.