Last Updated on October 18, 2010 7:00 pm by drew
ALCS Game 3 Prediction
The American League Championship Series has a pivotal game Monday night as Texas and New York square off in Game 3.
The series is tied at 1-1 after the Yankees squeaked out Game 1 6-5 in Texas and the Rangers dominated Game 2 7-2 at home.
Tonight, Rangers’ ace Cliff Lee takes the mound with his 1.13 playoff ERA against Andy Pettitte for New York. Lee has thrown at least 10 strikeouts in each of his two starts against Tampa Bay, pitching 16 of a possible 18 innings. Pettitte went seven strong in his lone start of this playoffs, allowing two earned runs with four strikeouts in a 5-2 win over Minnesota.
Here are some trends to consider and my pick for tonight’s playoff game 3:
Texas Rangers vs. New York Yankees, 8:05PM ET
In his career, Lee is 8-4 against the Yankees with a 4.14 ERA while Pettitte is 10-7 against the Rangers with a 4.20 ERA.
The Rangers are 6-0 in their last six road games and 6-1 in their last seven games against a left-handed starter. The Yankees are just 0-5 in their last five games as an underdog as well.
With Lee on the mound, the Rangers are always a safe bet. Look for him to allow the Yankees little in terms of scoring chances while Texas mashes a couple of balls to right field to pick up a crucial win.
MLB Free Pick: Texas – View Matchup | Best Line: -111 SBGGLOBAL.com