The Houston Astros did what they needed to do, getting the World Series back to Texas for Game 6. The Atlanta Braves have another chance to close out their first title since 1995 or face a winner-take-all Game 7 on Wednesday. Game 6 is set for 8:09 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park and is televised on FOX.
The Astros will start RHP Luis Garcia against Atlanta lefty Max Fried. Garcia will be on short rest after starting Game 3 in Atlanta on Friday. Fried was knocked around early in Game 2 and took the loss as Houston evened the series.
Can Braves Bounce Back?
The Braves were sitting pretty after the first inning on Sunday night with a 4-0 lead in the game and a 3-1 lead in the series. But the Astros chipped away and eventually scored five unanswered runs off the Atlanta bullpen. Meanwhile, the Braves offense didn’t put any runs on the board after the third inning and will look to bounce back on Tuesday.
Austin Riley produced three hits in Game 5 and is now batting.381 in the series with three RBI. Catcher Travis d’Arnaud is the only other Atlanta hitter over .300 in the series, but Freddie Freeman, Eddie Rosario, and Jorge Soler are all above .275.
The big key for the Braves in this series has been the long ball as d’Arnaud, Soler, and Adam Duvall have two each. They have 18 runs scored and have hit eight home runs so far. They also have seven doubles and are slugging .431 through the first five games.
Fried was good in the first two playoff starts this season but struggled against the Dodgers in his second NLCS outing and was bad in Houston in Game 2. He allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings and was knocked around early. Atlanta needs him to eat some innings after their last two starters have gone a combined three innings.
Astros Offense Riding Momentum
The Astros offense has been reliant on singles in this series as they have just ten extra-base hits and two home runs. They have nearly as many walks (19) as runs scored (20) in the first five games and have struggled with runners in scoring position. They are 1-for-19 with RISP in the three losses and 8-for-27 in the two wins, with five of those hits coming Sunday.
Jose Altuve has both of the Astros’ home runs in the series, while Carlos Correa and Martin Maldonado have four RBI. Maldonado is only 3-for-15, but he’s made those hits count. Yuli Gurriel and Kyle Tucker are both batting .333, while Michael Brantley is at .300.
Garcia took the loss as the Astros were two-hit in Game 3. He allowed one run on three hits over 3 ⅔ innings while walking four and striking out six. The Houston bullpen was brilliant in Game 5, and with the day off, should be fully rested for Tuesday night.
Betting Analysis
- Atlanta Braves +1.5 runs (-180). +110 Money Line
- Houston Astros -1.5 runs (+155). -130 Money LIne
- Total Runs: 8.5, Over -120. Under +100
The Astros have the nod in starting pitching for this one though both teams have the bullpen lined up the way they prefer. Houston needs a quick start against Fried like they had in Game 2, while the Braves need to find the offense outside of the home run. All five of their Game 5 runs came on the long ball, and they can’t rely on that every night.
Betting Pick: Over 8.5 runs (-120)
Keep up with your latest MLB news coverage and betting pick previews at NJ SportsbookReview.com.