As soon as Rick Ankiel saw the ball lift toward right field, he knew his connection was true. “To myself I’m like, ‘I got that. This is going to happen,’ ” said Ankiel, whose three-run sixth-inning homer off Rangers reliever Derek Lowe gave the Astros a 7-2 lead Sunday at Minute Maid Park. Ankiel hammered a 3-2 pitch into the right-field stands. In a historic game filled with multiple “first” moments and baseball magic often more associated with winning teams, the Astros’ 8-2 win against the Rangers in the club’s American League debut was highlighted by Ankiel’s blast. “It’s an emotional rollercoaster,” said Ankiel, who signed with the Astros during [...]