Going into the seventh inning, Game 2 of the 2019 World Series was knotted at two runs apiece. Washington starter Stephen Strasburg was done for the night, which appeared to mean that the Nationals’ bullpen would have to hold the line against Justin Verlander and a scary Houston lineup. But then Kurt Suzuki came to the plate. He was batting 1 for 23 in this postseason, but then Verlander laid a fastball at the top of the strike zone, down the center of the plate, and Suzuki blasted it to left, giving Washington a 3-2 lead. Then the Astros crumbled, walking Victor Robles. Verlander gave way to Ryan Pressly, who then walked Trea Turner. Three soft singles — two that did not leave the infield — helped push the lead to 8-2. Washington would go on to win, 12-3, heading back to Washington for Game 3. Of the last twenty-five teams to drop Games 1 and 2 at home in the current 2-3-2 World Series format, just three have come back to take the title. The last team to do it was the New York Yankees, back in 1996. So now the heavy favorites, the Houston Astros, have a gargantuan task ahead of them as they head to Washington, as the nation’s capital prepares to host a World Series game for the first time since 1933. Don’t miss our MLB betting preview of the next installment of the Fall Classic.
Astros vs Nationals 2019 World Series Game 3 Odds & Preview
When: Friday, October 25, 2019, 8:07 pm ET
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, DC
TV: FOX
Radio: ESPN Radio
Live Stream: ESPN+MLB Odds: Houston -120 / Washington +100Projected Pitching Matchup: Zack Greinke (0-2, 6.43 ERA) (HOU) vs Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 0.71 ERA) (WAS)
Why should you bet on the Astros?
The Astros will start Zack Greinke in Game 3. He has had one dreadful start and two decent starts in this postseason, as he got shelled in Game 3 of the ALDS by Tampa Bay, giving up three home runs along the way to a five-hit, six-run outing that lasted just 3 ⅔ innings. In the ALCS, he started two games, giving up three runs on seven hits (including a pair of home runs) in a 7-0 loss, and then going 4 ⅓ innings of three-hit, one-run ball in an 8-3 win. In that last outing, though, he issued four free passes that the Yankees failed to take advantage of. So the Astros are skating on thin ice starting Greinke on Friday night.
If Greinke can get through six or seven innings, though, the Astros have Will Harris and Roberto Osuna to run through the eighth and ninth innings. Joe Smith is another solid relief option. Even though the bullpen fell apart in Game 2, those are three pitchers who did not get knocked around by the Washington hitters. The Houston bats are getting contributions from Jose Altuve, who had three hits in Game 2 and has a .358 average in the playoffs with five long balls — including the walk-off blast that ended the ALCS. However, Alex Bregman (.233), Yuli Gurriel (.231 but with 10 RBI), George Springer (.167) and Carlos Correa (.160) are regular contributors whose bats have yet to break out. If those hitters return to form, Houston’s offense should get rolling again.
Why should you put your money on the Nationals?
Anibal Sanchez has been terrific in these playoffs, throwing 12 ⅔ combined innings over two starts, striking out 14 while walking just three. However, he has not made a start since October 11, when he started the NLCS opener, so he could have a bit of rust to shake off in the early innings. Behind him, Patrick Corbin could come in for long relief, and the Nats did not have to use either setup man Sean Doolittle or closer Daniel Hudson, so that gives the Nationals three other options to throw the ball if needed.
The Nationals’ bats erupted for a dozen runs, the most they have scored in any postseason game in franchise history, in Game 2. One might think that this could lead to bats cooling down in Game 3, but so many of this hits were balls that are normally outs — ground balls that turned into infield singles, and a flare that ended up not going far enough to become a fly ball — that the Nationals didn’t get an inordinate amount of solid hitting, outside the home runs. There is also the intangible effect of losing two in a row at home that will weigh on Houston — especially now that Washington has now won seven postseason games in a row.
Final Score Prediction
Sanchez could show some rust on the mound for Washington, but Greinke is not reliable in postseason play, at least for the ace-level money he is making. I see both pitchers wavering early but the Nationals pulling away for a 5-2 victory.
