With two games in the books, the Fall Classic heads to Atlanta for three games this weekend, with the series tied at 1-1. Atlanta opened with a 6-2 victory over the Astros, but Houston answered with a 7-2 triumph on Wednesday night.
The first pitch of Friday’s Game 3 is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EST at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. Atlanta is favored (-110) in the contest, and the over-under total is at nine runs.
What to Know – Houston Astros
The Astros took one on the chin in the opener but didn’t let the loss phase them and even the series without breaking a sweat in Game 2. Houston now takes on the Braves three times in Atlanta, needing to win at least one to get the series back to Houston for Game 6 and 7. Houston is 3-2 on the road this postseason.
The probable starter for the Astros is 24-year old right-hander Luis Garcia. This postseason, Garcia was knocked around in his first two outings, surrendering ten earned runs over 3.2 innings of work. In his last outing, Garcia fired 5.2 innings of the no-run ball against the Red Sox to pick up the victory.
Houston is hitting .276 as a team in the playoffs, led by slugger Yordan Alvarez who’s hitting .410. Kyle Tucker has hit safely in seven-straight games, and the young outfielder leads the Astros with 15 runs driven in. Jose Altuve added his fourth home run of the postseason in Wednesday’s victory.
What to Know – Atlanta Braves
Atlanta sputtered offensively in Game 2, going 1-5 with runners in scoring position. The Braves now get the home-field advantage for the weekend and can put the pressure on Houston with a win Friday night. Atlanta is a perfect 5-0 at home during the playoffs.
On the mound for the Braves is expected to be right-hander Ian Anderson. The 23-year old has been dominant in three outings this postseason, sporting a 1-0 record and 2.25 ERA over 12.0 innings of work. In his last trip to the mound, Anderson held the Dodgers to one run over 4.0 innings, walking one and collecting four strikeouts.
Atlanta is hitting .252 as a team during their postseason run and getting clutch hits from all around their lineup. The unexpected Eddie Rosario leads Atlanta with a .426 batting average, three home runs, and 11 RBI. Rosario failed to pick up a hit in Game 3, breaking an 11-game hitting streak that started at the beginning of the playoffs.
The Pick is In
Friday’s contest will be the first live World Series action Atlanta fans have seen since 1999. The Braves haven’t dropped a home contest yet in the playoffs and have their best pitcher this postseason on the hill.
Houston’s offense is always a concern, but it could be a long night for the Astros if the Braves get to Garcia early. With many unknowns for Atlanta’s pitching staff heading into Game 4 and 5, we like Atlanta to lock up Game 3 on Friday night.
Betting Pick: Atlanta Braves ML
