Month: October 2017

Do not put a dagger in the Los Angeles Dodgers just yet because the last two games of the World Series are at Chavez Ravine and the Dodgers are 52-19 in their last 71 home games. Impressive. Houston sends Justin Verlander to the hill and LA counters with the lefty, Rich Hill. We all know Verlander has been delivering this post-season, with a mark of 4-0, and an ERA of 2.05, but Hill has been crisp as well, going 0-0, with an ERA of 2.77. Take the Astros out of Minute Maid Park and they are 1-4 in their last 5 road playoff games and 2-7 in their last 9 trips to SoCal. The Dodgers are 5-1 in Hill’s last 6 starts and 4-1 in his last 5 starts at Dodger Stadium. Does the crowd play a factor in these games? You better believe it and it will tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Dodgers bats are alive and Kershaw is on the hill today. Take the Dodgers.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

The Los Angeles Dodgers squandered some golden opportunities last night to get back into the game but came up short and now find themselves down 2-1 to the Houston Astros and need a win tonight or they are in major trouble. Yuli Gurriel’s antics last night were a disgrace to baseball and that should give the Dodgers some extra incentive to bring the hammer down. The Astros will send Charlie Morton to the hill and in the post-season he is 1-1 with an ERA of 6.23. The Dodgers will counter with the lefty Alex Wood, who is 0-1 this post-season, with an ERA of 5.79. Los Angeles is 18-5 in his last 23 starts and 8-3 in his last 11 road starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

We know that both the Dodgers and the Astros can hit the ball so tonight’s contest will come down to starting pitching and the bullpen. Los Angeles will send Yu Darvish to the rubber and he is no stranger to the Houston Astros or Minute Maid Park. In his career against the Astros, he is 5-5, with an ERA of 3.44 in 14 starts, and has been lights out at Minute Maid Park with a record of 4-1, an ERA of 2.16, and a stingy 0.74 WHIP. Darvish has been on his mark this post-season, with a record of 2-0 and an ERA of 1.59. Lance McCullers Jr. will get the nod for Houston. He has also pitched well this post-season but has yet to register a win, with an ERA of 2.08, and Houston is 1-8 in his last 9 starts. The Astros bullpen is awful and that was evident in Wednesday’s wild game. Closer Ken Giles is 0-1 with an inflated ERA of 8.22 over 6 games. The weather is fine in Houston but they are deliberately closing the roof at Minute Maid Park to enhance the crowd noise. Noise or not, I like the Dodgers chances in this one.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Justin Verlander, who is 9-0 since joining the Houston Astros from the Detroit Tigers, will be called upon tonight to try to even the World Series at a game apiece and get out of Los Angeles with a split. Verlander was 15-8 in the regular season, with an ERA of 3.36, and has been lights out this post-season, going 4-0, with an ERA of 1.46 over 24-2/3 innings, striking out 24, and walking only 6. Rich Hill will get the call for the Dodgers. Hill was 12-8 in the regular season, with an ERA of 3.32 and has pitched well this post-season. In his 2 starts, he has an ERA of 3.00 with both outings ending in a no-decision. Verlander is a workhorse and will go deep in this game. Houston should get the win.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS