Houston Astros -1.5
(MLB) Houston vs. Oakland,
Point Spread: -1.50 | -185.00 Houston (Away)
Result: Loss
There aren’t too many pitchers that are hotter than Framber Valdez right now. He’s gone 7-1 in his last 10 starts with a 2.36 ERA, a 1.078 WHIP, 23 walks and 67 strikeouts over 68.2 innings of work. Houston has won eight of those 10 starts and he has turned in a quality start in each of those outings. That includes a complete game victory in a start against Oakland on the road back on May 30, when he allowed one run on two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in a 5-1 Houston win. Oakland entered Friday last in the majors in runs per game (3.17) and they are last in runs per game at home (2.49) while posting a pathetic .197/.268/.297 slash line at the RingCentral Coliseum. With the A’s going just 10-30 at home entering Friday and a pitching staff in shambles, you have to go with the superior team, even on the road. Houston cruises to the victory here to tighten their stranglehold on the AL West lead.