Astros vs. Dodgers Pick
Can the Houston Astros clinch their first-ever World Series title Tuesday night in Game 6 at the Los Angeles Dodgers? First pitch is at 8:20PM EST.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Dodgers are a -115 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Astros are a -105 underdog and the over-under is set at 7.5.
Game 5 was won by the Astros 13-12 in 10 innings in one of the most thrilling games in World Series history. The over-under is 2-2-1 in the five games, which are the first meetings between the two teams since 2015.
Pitching for Houston in Game 6 will be Justin Verlander (15-8, 3.36 ERA), while the Dodgers counter with Rich Hill (12-8, 3.32). Verlander has a 2.05 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 30 2/3 innings this postseason with 29 strikeouts. He allowed three earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks over six innings in a 7-6 victory in 11 innings in Game 2. Verlander is 7-6 with a 4.16 ERA in 110 1/3 road innings this year. Hill holds a 2.77 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 13 postseason innings. He gave up one earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts and three walks over four innings in the Game 2 loss. Hill has a 7-5 record and 2.77 ERA in 78 home innings this season.
Game 5 saw the Astros become the second team in World Series history to win after overcoming two three-run deficits. Houston won in the 10th inning on a walk-off RBI single by Alex Bregman. George Springer went 2-for-3 with a home run, three walks and three runs scored. Bregman was 2-for-5 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. Jose Altuve was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three runs and four RBIs. Carlos Correa finished 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs and three RBIs. Yuli Gurriel was 2-for-5 with a double, two runs and three RBIs. Brian McCann added a solo home run. Joe Musgrove earned the win in relief. Chris Taylor went 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Justin Turner was 1-for-4 with a double, two walks and two runs. Enrique Hernandez walked once and scored two runs. Cody Bellinger finished 2-for-5 with a triple, a home run, a walk, two runs and four RBIs. Logan Forsythe went 2-for-6 with a double, a run and two RBIs. Yasiel Puig contributed a two-run home run. Austin Barnes was 2-for-5 with a double, a run and an RBI. Kenley Jansen suffered the loss in relief.
Houston is 2-7 in its last nine meetings in Los Angeles. The under is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.
How can you not trust Verlander in this spot. He has a fantastic postseason history in potential series-clinching games, sporting a 0.46 ERA in three such appeareance (2 starts, 1 relief). Even on the road in a pitcher’s park, the Astros lineup is fully capable of mashing a left-handed pitcher. Both batting orders come in red-hot, but we give the pitching edge to Verlander and he is fully capable of going a full nine innings if need be as he showed in Game 2 of the ALCS versus the Yankees.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: HOUSTON ASTROS -105