Angels vs. Astros Pick
Can the Houston Astros bounce back at home this afternoon when they host the Los Angeles Angels at 4:10PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Astros are favored at home, as they are getting odds of -170 to win. The Angels are listed with a money line of +155 to prevail today, while the over/under total for the game has been set at 9.5 runs.
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The pitching matchup today has Mike Fiers (3-2, 4.84 ERA) on the mound for Houston to face Ricky Nolasco (2-6, 5.05) of the Astros. Nolasco has taken the loss in his last four starts and the Angels have lost his last seven starts. He has 60 strikeouts in 66 innings, but has allowed 37 earned runs. His WHIP is 1.38. Fiers has won his last two starts. He has allowed 31 earned runs in 57.2 innings of work. He has 50 strikeouts and 21 walks with a 1.51 WHIP.
These two opened their series on Friday, with the Angels picking up a 9-4 win in Houston. The road team has won three of the last four between these two. Houston is now 43-19 overall and 20-11 at home while Los Angeles is 32-32 overall and 14-20 on the road.
Friday saw the Angels light up Houston pitching. Astros starter Brad Peacock lasted just 3 innings and gave up for runs with seven hits and four walks. Reliever Francis Martes allowed another four runs in relief. Los Angeles starter Matt Shoemaker also allowed four runs, but went seven innings to get his sixth win. Cameron Maybin had three hits and scored four runs to lead Los Angeles in the win while Kole Calhoun had a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Alex Bregman homered and had two RBI for Houston.
After their impressive win streak, the Astros are struggling a little bit right now. They have lost three of their last five to rather pedestrian teams in Kansas City and Los Angeles. Still, I like the Astros tonight because Nolasco has been in a funk for months. The Angels haven’t been able to win when he takes the mound, either due to lack of run support or poor pitching on his part. Fiers isn’t an elite pitcher, but I think he will get the run support he needs today.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: HOUSTON ASTROS -170