PREMIUM
Rogers' Afternoon ANNIHILATION >> EARLY BLOWOUT!
(MLB) Houston vs. Oakland,
Money Line: -175.00 Houston (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -175.00 Houston (Away)
Result: Win
The set-up: The defending World Series champs began the 2018 season 16-7 but hit a rough spot but began this week at just 21-15 (5-8 run) as it visited Oakland for a three-game series against the A's. Houston opened May by losing five of its first six contests this month but has collected 32 hits while outscoring Oakland 20-4 in the first two games of the series. The Athletics managed only six hits in Tuesday's setback as they fell to 3-2 on their six-game homestand and to 18-18 on the season. The Astros will be looking for a sweep this afternoon after they followed up a 16-2 shellacking of the A's on Monday night with a 4-2 victory behind a home run by Alex Bregman and a combined six-hitter from four pitchers.
The pitching matchup: Gerrit Cole (3-1, 1.42 ERA) takes the mound for Houston and will be opposed by Oakland's Daniel Mengden (2-3, 4.30 ERA). Cole was acquired from the Pirates in the off-season and his first season in Houston has been a unqualified success thus far. He has allowed only nine runs (eight earned) and 26 hits while registering 77 strikeouts and issuing only nine walks over 50 2/3 innings in seven starts (Astros are 6-1 in his starts). He is coming off his second career complete game and first shutout, as he fanned a season-high 16 batters and walked just one while tossing a one-hitter at Arizona on Friday. Cole has made just two career starts against Oakland, going 0-1 with a 3.29 ERA in two career starts. Mengden has allowed just one run in three of his last four starts but has won only one of those outings. All three of those outings took place at home, where he is 1-10 with a 5.32 ERA in 16 career starts. What's more, Mengden is winless in five career starts against Houston, going 0-3 with a 7.23 ERA (A's are 1-4 in those starts).
The pick: This is just a "pitching mismatch," with the red-hot Cole facing Mengden. Mengden was rocked at Houston on April 28 in an 11-0 Astros win, allowing five runs (four earned) in just 2 1/3 innings. Why would he do better here at home, where his ERA is 5.32 in 16 career home starts? Cole and the Astros roll. make Houston an 8* play.
The pitching matchup: Gerrit Cole (3-1, 1.42 ERA) takes the mound for Houston and will be opposed by Oakland's Daniel Mengden (2-3, 4.30 ERA). Cole was acquired from the Pirates in the off-season and his first season in Houston has been a unqualified success thus far. He has allowed only nine runs (eight earned) and 26 hits while registering 77 strikeouts and issuing only nine walks over 50 2/3 innings in seven starts (Astros are 6-1 in his starts). He is coming off his second career complete game and first shutout, as he fanned a season-high 16 batters and walked just one while tossing a one-hitter at Arizona on Friday. Cole has made just two career starts against Oakland, going 0-1 with a 3.29 ERA in two career starts. Mengden has allowed just one run in three of his last four starts but has won only one of those outings. All three of those outings took place at home, where he is 1-10 with a 5.32 ERA in 16 career starts. What's more, Mengden is winless in five career starts against Houston, going 0-3 with a 7.23 ERA (A's are 1-4 in those starts).
The pick: This is just a "pitching mismatch," with the red-hot Cole facing Mengden. Mengden was rocked at Houston on April 28 in an 11-0 Astros win, allowing five runs (four earned) in just 2 1/3 innings. Why would he do better here at home, where his ERA is 5.32 in 16 career home starts? Cole and the Astros roll. make Houston an 8* play.
