World Series Game 3: Desperate Astros Slight Road Favorites in Pivotal Contest

The Astros gave up a lot of runs in the first two games of the World Series, even with their aces pitching at home. Zack Greinke starts in Game 3; will Houston see a third straight game hit the OVER — or can he keep Washington’s hot bats in check?

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

Despite losing both home games, and giving up a pile of runs in the process, the Astros still opened as slight favorites, though it’s much closer than before the series started. The total opened at 8, which seems low considering the OVER hit in each of the first two games when both clubs had their top starters going.

Houston News & Notes

The Astros are down 2-0 in the World Series, losing twice at home, by giving up 17 runs — with their two superstar starting pitchers on the mound.

While Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander yielded 15 hits and nine earned runs across 13 innings, third baseman Alex Bregman also had a tough two games.

Bregman is just 1-for-8 this series, and in addition to his bat, his glove let him down in Game 2. With the bases loaded and two out in the seventh inning, Bregman could not come up with a tough grounder as a Washington run scored. It was ruled a hit, but it’s a play Bregman expects to make and it kept the inning alive. What followed – a two-run single, then another chopper Bregman threw away as two more runs scored – turned what had been a 3-2 deficit into an 8-2 hole and effectively ended the game.

If the Astros want to get back in the series, they will need much better play from their MVP candidate … on both sides of the ball.

Washington News & Notes

It’s not just that the Nationals are up 2-0 in the World Series: it’s how they did it that’s even more impressive.

Washington scored 17 runs in two games against an Astros team that gave up 24 runs in six games against the Yankees. The Nationals have gotten contributions all over the lineup; eight different players have an RBI in the series and they’ve delivered in the clutch, going 7-for-21 with runners in scoring position.

Washington looks to push Houston to the brink of elimination with Anibal Sanchez taking the mound in Friday’s game. While it sounds like a steep decline from previous starters Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, Sanchez has finished the season with ace-like numbers.

He’s allowed more than two runs just twice in his previous nine outings, and in two postseason starts he has a 0.71 ERA and a 0.63 WHIP and batters are hitting .116 against him. Another big start from Sanchez would put Washington on the cusp of a World Series title.

Betting Pick: OVER 8

This series has not produced the pitching duels we expected. Why stop now?