Fenway Park hosts an MLB battle between the Boston Red Sox and the visiting Houston Astros on Friday.

Ryan Dempster will take the mound for Boston, and he'll carry a 0-2 record into the contest. Erik Bedard gets the ball for Houston; he's 0-1 so far this season.



View Houston vs Boston Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
The visitors were +-240 moneyline underdogs in this one earlier in the day at most online sportsbooks including Sportsbook. The total was 9 at Sportsbook for those preferring over under wagers.

Power Rankings:
The Red Sox - Astros odds would favor the Red Sox if the lines were set according to our power ranks. Boston is rated No. 5 in the current American League Odds Shark poll, while Houston is at No. 14 in the American League.



How They Match Up:
At the plate, Boston owns the No. 9 ranking for hits in the American League at 8.6 per game. By contrast, the Astros are rated No. 6 in the same category at 8.7 per game.

Defensively, Houston features the American League's No. 15-rated defense on the road, allowing 5.3 runs per game. Boston, meanwhile, comes in at No. 8 in the American League at home, scoring 4 runs per game.

The Astros were a 7-2 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Red Sox. That made winners of bettors who got Boston at -290 on the moneyline, while the total score (9) was good news for UNDER bettors. The Astros endured a 7-2 loss at the hands of the Red Sox on Thursday, with Philip Humber throwing 4 2/3 innings of 10-hit ball at Fenway Park.




Houston Astros Trends:
When playing on Friday are 4-6
Before playing Boston are 4-6
After playing Boston are 4-5
After a loss are 3-7

Boston Red Sox Trends:
When playing on Friday are 7-3
Before playing Houston are 8-2
After playing Houston are 4-5
After a win are 7-3

A few Astros at Red Sox trends to consider:
Houston is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Houston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games at home
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Boston is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games


Next up:
Houston at Boston, Saturday, April 27