Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for from various handicappers and websites for Wednesday 10/30/19
Nats pound Astros to force Game 7
HOUSTON (AP) Max Scherzer, this is your moment. And baseball fans, this is what you hoped for.
A World Series mostly devoid of drama suddenly involves the two most compelling words in sports: Game 7.
Mad Max, in so much pain over the weekend he could hardly move, starting for the Washington Nationals.
''Everybody has the belief in me and the doctors that I could get right and be ready,'' Scherzer said.
Zack Greinke, acquired by Houston in late July for exactly these situations, pitching for the Astros.
''A little excited about it at the moment, but we'll see,'' Greinke said.
The wild-card Nationals, trying to rewrite franchise history with their first championship. The 107-win Astros, aiming to build a legacy by taking their second crown in three years.
''Maybe not how we drew it up in terms of how we got there, but it doesn't take away the opportunity we have to win the World Series,'' Astros manager AJ Hinch said.
A pair of teams that began spring training under sunny skies in February, working out side-by-side in the complex they share in Florida, now meeting in late October under the retractable roof at Minute Maid Park for the biggest prize of all.
And this: What to expect from Scherzer on Wednesday night?
Unable to pitch Game 5 on Sunday night because of nerve irritation near his neck that required a cortisone shot, the three-time Cy Young Award winner is set to start this all-or-nothing showdown.
''The cortisone shot worked. That relieved the pressure on the nerve,'' Scherzer said.
Scherzer tossed in the outfield before Game 6 - a charged, 7-2 win by the Nationals - and even loosened up in the bullpen in the seventh inning Tuesday night.
''Max is starting tomorrow,'' manager Dave Martinez said. ''We got him up knowing that if the game is tied or we were up a run we might have to use him. He wanted to go down there and just throw and get loose. We scored some more runs and I immediately shut him down.''
Whether the Game 1 winner, known for his incredible intensity, will be able to cut loose at full force, we'll soon see.
''We don't know if he's healthy or not. We're going to find out in the first inning,'' Astros star Carlos Correa said.
If Scherzer returns and wins, it might well go down in sports lore, along with Curt Schilling's bloody sock, Kirk Gibson hobbling around the bases and the night Willis Reed limped back on the court at Madison Square Garden.
''They'd probably make a movie about it. I bet, if he could, he could come back from the dead,'' teammate Adam Eaton said.
The Nationals rallied to extend the only World Series where the road team has taken the six first games. So much for the home-field advantage.
''Doesn't look like there is one right now, but I hope there's one tomorrow. We're waiting until the last game to have it on our side,'' Hinch said.
Everyone available, probably.
Astros ace Gerrit Cole, certainly. And maybe Justin Verlander after going five innings Tuesday night.
''It's a Game 7, all hands on deck. If AJ asks, I'm sure I'll figure out a way,'' Verlander said.
Houston played in the previous Game 7 of the World Series, when George Springer and crew hammered Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium in 2017.
Road teams took the two prior Game 7s, too - Joe Maddon's Cubs at Cleveland in 2016 and Madison Bumgarner and the Giants at Kansas City in 2014.
Greinke gave up one run over 4 2/3 innings in his first World Series start when the Astros took Game 3. Acquired from Arizona at the trade deadline, the six-time All-Star is 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA in four starts this postseason.
Did he ever imagine pitching a Game 7?
''Probably, but can't remember doing that at the moment,'' he said.
Healthy, Scherzer went 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA this postseason in four starts and one relief appearance.
No time to dwell on those stats. His biggest start is looming.
''That's what you live for,'' he said. ''For me, I need to get in my pregame routine right now, and that's where I'm at mentally, here we go.''
MLB
Dunkel
Wednesday, October 30
Washington @ Houston
Game 913-914
October 30, 2019 @ 8:08 pm
Dunkel Rating:
Washington
(Scherzer) 18.847r
Houston
(Greinke) 17.803
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
-135
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+115); Over
MLB
Long Sheet
Wednesday, October 30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON (104 - 74) at HOUSTON (117 - 62) - 8:08 PM
MAX SCHERZER (R) vs. ZACK GREINKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 100-86 (-18.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
GREINKE is 153-83 (+47.3 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 117-60 (+39.1 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 23-7 (+14.9 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 104-74 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 11-5 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in October games this season.
WASHINGTON is 38-27 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 11-5 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in playoff games this season.
WASHINGTON is 58-49 (+7.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 36-25 (+14.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 11-14 (-18.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday this season.
HOUSTON is 79-51 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 76-50 (-11.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 71-53 (-19.3 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 98-78 (-20.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 23-24 (-21.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-3 (+1.8 Units) against HOUSTON this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.8 Units)
MAX SCHERZER vs. HOUSTON since 1997
SCHERZER is 4-1 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.72 and a WHIP of 1.065.
His team's record is 5-2 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.7 units)
ZACK GREINKE vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
GREINKE is 6-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.32 and a WHIP of 0.929.
His team's record is 8-2 (+5.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-9. (-8.7 units)
MLB
Wednesday, October 30
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Trend Report
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Houston Astros
Houston is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games
Houston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games at home
Houston is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Washington
Houston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Houston is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
Washington Nationals
Washington is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games
Washington is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington's last 8 games
Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games on the road
Washington is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Houston
Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Washington is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston