PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* TOP TOTALS TICKET >> 4-1 Thursday! 38-20 Overall L17 Days!
(MLB) LA Angels vs. Houston,
Total: 8.00 | -118.00 Over
Result: Win
Total: 8.00 | -118.00 Over
Result: Win
The setup: The Astros lost at home to the sad-sack White Sox last night and it's looking more and more as if Cleveland will wind up with the AL's best overall record (Indians lead the Astros by 2 1/2 games). Houston begins a three-game home series with the LA Angels tonight, a team looking to snap a four-game losing streak. The Angels find themselves in a funk, having lost nine of their last 13, putting them 2 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the American League's second wild-card spot (along with the Texas Rangers).
The pitching matchup: Garrett Richards (0-2 & 2.00 ERA) will take the mound for LA in an effort to stop the bleeding but his opponent will be the red-hot Justin Verlander (13-8 & 3.50 ERA). The injury-plagued Richards has made just four starts in 2017 (he's 2-0 and the team 2-2) and 10 total over the past two seasons. He's currently attempting to regain his form after a biceps injury. Richards has lost back-to-back starts, pitching five innings in each outing. He is 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 career appearances (10 starts / team is 6-4) against the Astros, including a 1-0 loss opposite Verlander in which he gave up one run and four hits over five innings on Sep. 12. Verlander has been everything (and more) for Houston. He has struck out 26 and walked just three in 21 innings since joining Houston's rotation, going 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three outings since being acquired from Detroit. "I think my mechanics and everything have been pretty good," the 34-year-old Verlander told reporters. "My last few starts are really to try to go out there and maintain that feel and just attack and help get us a win." Verlander is a modest 7-8 with a 3.55 ERA in 18 career starts (teams are 8-10) vs the Angels, which includes 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two starts versus the Angels this year.
The pick: Houston's starting rotation has allowed just nine ERs on 26 hits and 13 walks with 42 strikeouts over the past 42 innings, good for a 1.93 ERA during that stretch. Clearly, Houston's starters are trending in the right direction at the most opportune time with the postseason upcoming and Verlander is leading the way. However, note that Richards has been quite effective in his four 2017 starts. Yes, he hasn't gone longer than five innings in any one of them but he's allowed just 13 hits in 18 innings with an 18-4 KW ratio, 0.89 WHIP and a .194 BAA. Like when these two pitchers met back on Sep 12 (a 1-0 final), the Under is a 10* play.
The pitching matchup: Garrett Richards (0-2 & 2.00 ERA) will take the mound for LA in an effort to stop the bleeding but his opponent will be the red-hot Justin Verlander (13-8 & 3.50 ERA). The injury-plagued Richards has made just four starts in 2017 (he's 2-0 and the team 2-2) and 10 total over the past two seasons. He's currently attempting to regain his form after a biceps injury. Richards has lost back-to-back starts, pitching five innings in each outing. He is 5-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 career appearances (10 starts / team is 6-4) against the Astros, including a 1-0 loss opposite Verlander in which he gave up one run and four hits over five innings on Sep. 12. Verlander has been everything (and more) for Houston. He has struck out 26 and walked just three in 21 innings since joining Houston's rotation, going 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three outings since being acquired from Detroit. "I think my mechanics and everything have been pretty good," the 34-year-old Verlander told reporters. "My last few starts are really to try to go out there and maintain that feel and just attack and help get us a win." Verlander is a modest 7-8 with a 3.55 ERA in 18 career starts (teams are 8-10) vs the Angels, which includes 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in two starts versus the Angels this year.
The pick: Houston's starting rotation has allowed just nine ERs on 26 hits and 13 walks with 42 strikeouts over the past 42 innings, good for a 1.93 ERA during that stretch. Clearly, Houston's starters are trending in the right direction at the most opportune time with the postseason upcoming and Verlander is leading the way. However, note that Richards has been quite effective in his four 2017 starts. Yes, he hasn't gone longer than five innings in any one of them but he's allowed just 13 hits in 18 innings with an 18-4 KW ratio, 0.89 WHIP and a .194 BAA. Like when these two pitchers met back on Sep 12 (a 1-0 final), the Under is a 10* play.
