If your favorite baseball team isn't playing tonight, make the games more interesting by betting on MLB odds at BookMaker Sportsbook! This is the only online wagering outlet that offers early MLB moneylines, runlines and totals. First pitch for the Game 2 World Series showdown between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium. The matchup will be televised nationally on FOX.
Clayton Kershaw continued to rewrite the narrative about him in October with a dynamic performance, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a Game 1 victory over the Houston Astros. Houston fought tough in the game, but the Dodgers’ pitching was too much to overcome. Can the pitching continue to shut down a stacked Houston lineup or will the Astros be able to steal a game in Los Angeles to send the series back to Houston in a tie?
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Dodgers have the momentum after a big 3-1 win in Game 1. They’re now 8-1 in postseason play after 8-2 finish to the regular season.
Houston ended their season hot, too, going on a run through September powered by the acquisition of Justin Verlander.
The Astros haven’t had as clean of a path through the postseason as the Dodgers so they’re used to coming back from a defeat, particularly one on the road. Houston is 1-5 away from Minute Maid Park. They’ll try for just their second postseason road win on Wednesday.
While Verlander is expected to pitch well for Houston, the Astros will still need more offense than the solo homer of the bat of Alex Bregman that was responsible for the lone Houston run. All three of the Dodgers’ runs scored on the longball, too, but they got a lead off blast form Chris Taylor and a two-run shot by Justin Turner to hammer out the victory.
Both offenses are deep and powerful. Houston was the better hitting team in the regular season while the Dodgers are swinging hotter bats here in the playoffs.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
The Astros faced Clayton Kershaw, Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen in Game 1. There’s no wonder they managed just a single run. The matchup is a bit more favorable in Game 2 with Rich Hill slated to start for Los Angeles.
Hill is better at home than on the road which has earned him the Game 2 start each series.
The veteran southpaw was 12-8 with a 3.32 ERA and 1.091 WHIP in the regular season. He tossed nine no-hit innings against the Pirates during one game, but otherwise generally didn’t go deep in games.
That’s held true in October. In his two postseason starts, Hill has combined for just nine innings, but he’s pitched effectively in those nine innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He did walk four, but struck out 12.
Hill’s a veteran pitcher, but this will be his first World Series appearance. He’ll need his curve to be on to have success in this World Series debut. The Astros have had trouble with the curveball at times this season—and postseason—so his repertoire is certainly a good matchup against Houston.
While Hill is a solid pitcher, it’ll be Justin Verlander that’ll be favored amongst the Game 2 starters.
Houston will have Verlander on the hill, making just his 9th start in an Astros’ uniform after his August 31 trade.
Since joining the Astros, Verlander is 9-0 in nine appearances. He’s 4-0 in the postseason. He threw the team on his back against the Yankees in the ALCS, pitching 16 innings in two games, allowing one run on 10 hits and two walks while striking out 21.
LIVE BETTING
The gap between the bullpen of the Astros and the Dodgers may be a bit exaggerated.
Los Angeles ripped through the Cubs in the NLCS with the bullpen delivering a shutout in the series. The Astros’ pen, meanwhile, got lit up a bit against the Yankees in the ALCS. In a “what have you done for me lately” sport, it’s not hard to see why coming into the series most pundits were given the Dodgers the huge edge in the pen.
That said, the Astros’ relief arms generally performed in the regular season. There were some issues, but most of those arms aren’t on the World Series roster. Instead, Hosuton has Ken Giles, Chris Devenski and Joe Musgrove as solid options late in a game. Will Harris has been a very strong option, too.
While Devenski’s postseason heading into the World Series was suspect, he made quick work of the Dodgers in the eighth inning of Game 1.
Of course, with the way the Dodgers’ pen has been pitching—including the performances of Morrow and Jansen on Tuesday—L.A. does have the advantage if this game is tied late.
QUICK PICK
The Astros are now 1-5 on the road in the playoffs and the Dodgers are 8-1 overall. Those are not great numbers for Houston fans, but the Astros have Verlander on the mound. With Verlander producing a win in every game he’s pitched to this point, take the Astros to even up the series at a game apiece.
Houston needs a win in Game 2. The Astros return home for the next three games, but with Keuchel and Verlander not expected back until Games 5 and 6, they cannot afford to return home down by two games.
The need and the right pitcher are there. The Dodgers will be tough. Their bullpen is better, the offense is hotter, but Rich Hill isn’t Clayton Kershaw and provides an easier chance for a Houston order that was the most prolific offense in baseball.
The Astros scratch out enough runs and Verlander delivers yet another gem on Wednesday.
MLB Odds: Astros 4, Dodgers 2
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