World Series Game Two: Astros Look to Tie Series at One

• The Philadelphia Phillies won Game One 6-5 in ten innings. 

• The Houston Astros are undefeated in the Playoffs.

• The Astros were 2-1 against the Phillies this season.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Houston Astros Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Houston Astros Picks

Houston Astros beat Philadelphia Phillies 4-3

Astros cover the spread, Under 7 runs.

Moneyline Analysis

Game Two of the World Series takes place today at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. 

The Astros were expected to win Game One but lost 6-5 in ten innings. Both pitchers threw scoreless first innings, but the Astros had a 2-0 lead after the second. Justin Tucker hit a solo shot, and Martin Maldonado singled in Yuli Gurriel. Houston scored three more runs in the third inning and had a commanding 5-0 lead. However, Philadelphia’s bats got hot in the fourth, and they cut the Astros’ lead to two. The Phillies scored another two runs in the fifth, and the game was tied. The next three innings were very quiet, and neither team managed to score. The Astros almost won the game in the ninth, but Nick Castellanos had other plans. The right fielder made a game-saving diving catch and sent it into extras. Catcher J.T. Realmuto stepped up to the plate with no outs and hit a solo home run to right field in the tenth inning. That home run was all the Phillies’ needed, and they went home victorious.

The Phillies saw a lot of different players step up in Game One. J.T Realmuto had three RBIs, Bryce Harper went 2-4, Alec Bohm had two RBIs, and Kyle Schwarber went 1-4 with a walk, run, and steal. They will need well-rounded offensive performances like that to win this series. Make no mistake, they are still the underdog, but they can win their first World Series since 2008 if they keep seeing strong performances from many different players.

Zach Wheeler is taking the mound for the Phillies. Wheeler has been Houston’s best pitcher in the postseason. The veteran pitcher has a 1.78 Playoff ERA and 25 strikeouts in 25⅓ innings. Wheeler may not have been named to the All-Star team this year, but he has been wheeling and dealing in the Playoffs.

The Astros also had a strong offensive showing in Game One. Seven players had at least one hit, but Justin Tucker stood out the most. The outfielder went 3-5 with two home runs and four RBIs. Houston has a better lineup than Philadelphia but will continue to need efficient hitting from the usual suspects. 

Framber Valdez will get the start for the Astros. Valdez is averaging 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings and has an incredibly low Playoff ERA of 0.87. The 28-year-old is having a career year and will pitch well against the Phillies today. 

The Astros won over 2/3s of their home games this season and nearly won Game One. It is doubtful they will leave Houston down two games. Play it safe, and bet on the Astros to win.

Over/Under Analysis

The over/under is placed at seven runs. Unlike Game One, I do not expect many runs to be scored. However, I cannot recommend betting on the over or the under, as I believe seven runs will be scored today.

It is very difficult to bet on an over/under in the MLB Playoffs. We often see great pitchers have horrendous starts and mediocre or slightly above-average pitchers have excellent starts. Game One is a great example of this. Aaron Nola and Justin Verlander both had great seasons, but each gave up five earned runs.

I will explain why I cannot recommend either the over or the under. The Phillies have an excellent offense but are facing Framber Valdez. Valdez has been Houston’s best starter in the Playoffs and threw seven scoreless innings against the New York Yankees in his ALCS start. He also pitched well against the Seattle Mariners in his ALDS start. Valdez gave up two earned runs in 5⅔ innings. I do not expect Valdez to shut out the Phillies, but I would not be surprised if he only gives up two earned runs in six or so innings pitched. The Phillies will also likely score one run off the Astros’ bullpen, bringing their grand run total to three.

Now, let’s talk about the Astros. As I mentioned above, they lost Game One in a heartbreaking fashion at home, so they should win Game Two. They teed off against Aaron Nola in Game One and scored five off him. It is unrealistic to assume Houston will score five runs against Zach Wheeler for a couple of reasons. A lineup rarely scores five runs against a starter pitcher two games in a row, but more importantly, Wheeler has been Philadelphia’s top pitcher in the Playoffs. The righty has only given up one walk, and two earned runs in two starts. His numbers are similar to Valdez’s, but I expect him to struggle a little more than Valdez. He will give up three runs in a little less than six innings. The Astros lineup will score their winning run off the Phillies’ bullpen, bringing their grand total to four.

Head-to-Head: Philadelphia Phillies vs Houston Astros

How To Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs Houston Astros