Dodgers vs. Astros Pick
Are the Los Angeles Dodgers going to ride Clayton Kershaw to a victory over the host Houston Astros in a pivotal Game 5 of the World Series Sunday night? First pitch is at 8:20PM EST.
Oddsmakers at sports book Bovada.lv have listed the Dodgers as a -145 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Astros are a +125 underdog and the over-under is 7 runs.
Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31 ERA) gets the start for the Dodgers, while the Astros turn to Dallas Keuchel (14-5, 2.90). He has a 2.96 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 24 1/3 postseason innings this year, going 3-0 in four starts with 27 strikeouts. The Dodgers have won all four of his starts. He gave up one earned run on three hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks in seven innings during a 3-1 victory in Game 1 of the World Series. Kershaw carried a 9-2 record with a 2.03 ERA in 84 1/3 road innings this year. Keuchel sports a 3.00 ERA and 1.08 ERA in 24 postseason innings. He has struck out 28 batters. He surrendered three earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts and one walk over 6 2/3 innings during the Game 1 loss. Keuchel is 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA in 71 2/3 home innings this season.
Los Angeles posted a 6-2 victory in Game 4 Saturday night to even the World Series at 2-2. Cody Bellinger finished the night 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI. Joc Pederson hit a three-run homer, his second home run of the World Series. Tony Watson earned the win in relief. Alex Wood did not allow a hit in his first 5 2/3 innings before giving up a solo home run to George Springer in the sixth for the game’s first run. It was the last batter Wood faced. He struck out three and walked two. Ken Giles suffered the loss in relief as he allowed three eanred runs without recording an out. Alex Bregman accounted for the other run with a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The over-under is 1-2-1 in the four World Series games, which are the first contests between the Dodgers and Astros since 2015. The under is 7-1-2 in the Dodgers’ last 10 road games. Houston is 7-1 in its last eight playoff home games.
Kershaw has quelled any ridiculous talk about him not having it in the postseason, pitching great baseball in his last several starts before turning it over to the bullpen. Houston is very difficult to defeat on its home field, but if anyone can do it is Kershaw. The biggest issue for the Astros right now is in their bullpen as Giles has been disastrous in the playoffs, including his latest dud Saturday night. It’s hard to imagine any scenario he takes the mound tonight. We like the Dodgers in this spot to head back to Los Angeles with a 3-2 series advantage.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: LOS ANGELES DODGERS -145