Category: Baseball

The Washington Nationals are hanging by a thread, down 3-2 in the Series, and heading back to Houston for Game 6 but there is life because the flame thrower, Stephen Strasburg, will be tapping the rubber tonight for the Nats. Strasburg has been nothing short of spectacular in the post-season. He is 4-0, with a 1.93 ERA, 40 Ks and only 2 walks in 28 innings of work. That’s dominance. Justin Verlander will get the nod for the Astros and he has not been sharp in the post-season. Verlander is 1-3 with a 4.15 ERA. Washington got to him in Game 2 and they crushed Houston, 12-3. The Nats are 10-1 in their last 11 trips to Minute Maid Park and 4-0 in Strasburg’s last 4 turns against the Astros. The books currently have Washington at +162 and, with Strasburg on the hill, they are worth a consideration.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Houston Astros crush left-handed starters and they proved that again last night by getting to Corbin early and going on to a 8-1 victory. The Series now is the best of 3 and Washington cannot go down 3-2 heading to Houston or they are in a lot of trouble. Tonight they will turn to Game 1 winner, Max Scherzer. Scherzer has been lights out in the post-season, going 3-0 and yielding just 3 runs in 19 innings of work. The Nats got to Gerrit Cole in Game 1, tagging him 5 runs, 8 hits, and 2 homers over 7 innings,and he will be on the hill for the Stros tonight. Lance Barksdale is behind the dish and the home team is 4-1 in his last 5 when he is pulling the strings. If Washington could get to Cole in Houston, why not at Nationals Park?
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Washington Nationals are +180 tonight against the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the World Series and will have Max Scherzer on the hill. They are also 8-1 in their last 9 trips to Houston. Enough said.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

Masahiro Tanaka was spectacular in Game 1 of the ALCS in Houston, yielding just 1 hit in 6 scoreless innings as the Yankees went on to win the game, 7-0. Zack Greinke is slated to take the hill for the Astros and has not been delivering in the post-season. He gave up 3 runs in 6 innings in the loss to the Yankees on Saturday and is now 0-2 in the post-season with a bloated 8.38 ERA. If Tanaka and the Yankees can put the screws to the Astros at Minute Maid Park, why not tonight in the Bronx, where they have won 8 of the last 11 meetings with Houston?
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

Heavy rains are expected in the Bronx tonight so, weather permitting, the New York Yankees will try to even the score with the Houston Astros at two games apiece. New York will not have to face any of the lethal three (Cole, Verlander or Greinke) as both teams are expected to go with a bullpen game. The Yankees potent offense has been stymied in the last two games but could see the return of Giancarlo Stanton tonight. Despite last night’s loss, New York is still 8-3 in their last 11 games at home against Houston. The Bombers cannot go down 3-1 in this series or it’s over, and they know it.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The St. Louis Cardinals find themselves down 0-2 in the NLCS and it won’t get any easier for them tonight as they face Stephen Strasburg at Nationals Park. The Nationals have won all 3 of Strasburg’s post-season starts and they are 4-1 in his last 5 turns against the Cardinals at home. St. Louis will counter with Jack Flaherty and this guy can deliver. In the post-season, he is 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA and had better be on his game tonight because the run support has not been there. St. Louis has just 4 hits in the first two NLCS games. The Nationals are hot and clicking on every cylinder.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS

The Savages were out last night and Masahiro Tanaka pitched a gem, as the Yankees rolled to a 7-0 victory, taking Game 1 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros. Tonight they will turn to the Big Maple, James Paxton, who has had success against the Stros. Paxton is 8-4 in his career against Houston with a 3.24 ERA and he is 4-2 lifetime at Minute Maid Park, with a 3.92 ERA. It won’t be easy for the Bombers because Justin Verlander will be tapping the rubber for Houston. Verlander is 6-3 with a 2.95 ERA in 9 career starts in the ALCS but better be on his game tonight because the Yankees 1-9 can crush the ball. New York has won 4 of the last 5 meetings and they are 6-0 in Paxton’s last 6 road starts.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES