Despite facing some long odds, the Houston Astros have managed to send the 2021 World Series back to Houston for Game 6 on Tuesday night. While the Atlanta Braves maintain a 3-2 series lead and are the betting favorites to win the series at the moment, the Astros are favored in Game 6 with a -125 moneyline compared to Atlanta’s +105 moneyline. Game 6 also has an over/under of nine runs.
The three games over the weekend provided some tense moments and wild momentum swings. Good pitching and timely hitting gave Atlanta a 2-0 win in Game 3 and a 3-2 win in Game 4. The Braves then took an early 4-0 lead in Game 5, only for the Astros to fight back to win 9-5 and extend the series.
A Real Starter
After back-to-back bullpen games for the Braves, Max Fried gives them a bonafide starter taking the mound in Game 6. The lefty was excellent for Atlanta during the regular season, going 14-7 with a 3.04 ERA over 28 starts. But he’s had a shaky postseason, going 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA over his four starts.
When he made his start in Game 2, the Astros knocked around Fried early, scoring five runs against him over the first two innings. Fried would eventually settle down and ended up giving the Braves five innings despite allowing six runs on seven hits. However, he’s now taken the loss in his last two playoff starts, allowing a total of 11 runs on 15 hits over just 9.2 innings.
On the other hand, the Braves have been the one team that’s been able to keep the Houston lineup in check during the playoffs. In Atlanta’s three wins, the Astros have been held to just two runs in each game.
Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez have all but disappeared, combining to go 3 for 34 in the series while nobody but Jose Altuve has hit a home run in the series.
One More Try
The Astros will send Luis Garcia to the mound in Game 6. The 24-year-old was an important part of the Houston rotation during the regular season, going 11-8 with a 3.48 ERA. But he’s failed to keep that going during the playoffs, posting a 7.62 ERA over four starts.
That being said, Garcia threw a gem during the ALCS, allowing one hit over 5.1 scoreless innings against the Red Sox. But he only lasted 3.2 innings in Game 3, allowing one run on three hits but hurting himself with four walks despite striking out six. Garcia will also be coming back on short rest, which means he could be on a short leash, especially in an elimination game.
Of course, the Atlanta offense has been more timely than consistent during this series, scoring three runs or less in three of the five games. However, the Braves have hit eight home runs in five games, which has saved them.
Six of those home runs have come from Adam Duvall, Travis d’Arnaud, and Jorge Soler, so it’s not the big names in the middle of the Atlanta lineup that are doing most of the damage.
See You Tomorrow Night
Houston’s bats were finally able to wake up in Game 5, and coming home will help the Astros maintain that momentum. While the Braves have showcased most of the power thus far, the Astros could be poised to catch up in the home run count.
Look for the Astros to slug their way to a Game 6 win on Tuesday night and force a Game 7.
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