Red Sox vs Astros ALCS Game 4 Lines & Preview

The tables have turned in the American League Championship Series since the Houston Astros won the opener in Boston, as the Red Sox have stormed back to win Games 2 and 3 to take a 2-1 series lead going into Wednesday night’s matchup down in the Lone Star State. Offense has taken center stage in this series, with the teams scoring a combined 31 runs in the three games and with the winning team scoring seven, seven and eight runs in each of the three contests. If you add to this the drama of Major League Baseball investigating some surreptitious videotaping by an Astros employee in a restricted area during the early games in the series, you have the makings of a terrific endgame to this matchup. Can the Red Sox push the Astros to the brink? Or will the Astros send the series back to Boston all even at two games apiece? Check out our MLB betting preview for the Red Sox vs Astros.

Red Sox vs Astros ALCS Game 5 Lines & Preview

• When: Wednesday, October 17, 2018, 8:39pm ET
• Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston
• TV: TBS
• Radio: ESPN Radio
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Odds: Boston +130 / Houston -140 / O/U 8.5
• Projected Pitching Matchup: Rick Porcello (18-7, 4.18 ERA) (BOS) vs Charlie Morton (15-3, 3.18 ERA) (HOU)

Why should you bet on the Red Sox?

Rick Porcello has pitched well in his three postseason appearances to date. He has pitched 1 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief in two appearances, one against New York and the other in Game 2 against Houston, and he threw five innings of one-run ball in Game 4, the decisive series win over New York. He has struck out three in 6 ⅔ combined innings while walking none. If he can maintain that control against the Astros in Game 4, he will make it hard for the Astros to stack up easy runs. Boston is 6-1 in the last seven games that Porcello has started. In this series, Boston is relying on such bats as that of Xander Bogaerts, who has eight hits, three runs, a home run and three RBI. The fact that Boston was able to take down former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel in Game 3 down in Houston should give the Red Sox confidence that they can reverse the outcome of last year’s ALDS, when they lost to Houston.

Why should you put your money on the Astros?

Charlie Morton takes the hill for the Astros in Game 4, which will be his first appearance in 18 days. His last outing was a three-inning affair in Baltimore, in which he threw three shutout innings in a 4-0 loss. His last appearance of five innings or longer came on September 15, when he threw six innings against Arizona, permitting two earned runs on three hits (including a home run). So while Morton appears to have the stuff of an ace, he will likely have some rust to shake off with that lengthy layoff. Morton did appear against Boston in the ALDS last year and permitted two runs in 4 ⅓ innings of Game 4, a game the Astros would win. Can the Red Sox take advantage this time? The Astros have gotten terrific offense out of George Springer, who has ten hits, five runs, three homers and seven RBI so far in the postseason. The Houston offense has been one of the most prolific in all of baseball this season, as they showed against Boston ace Chris Sale in the opener and against Cleveland’s terrific pitching staff in the ALDS. If you like the Astros here, you see Morton getting Houston off to a solid start and the team’s bats waking up after a slow couple of games.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction for Red Sox vs Astros

Porcello comes in with a nifty 1.35 ERA this postseason and with the confidence that his start against the Yankees brought him. Morton has put together an amazing season, but I think that in the inning or two it will take him to get back up to speed, the Red Sox will take the lead they need. MLB Betting Prediction: Boston 6, Houston 4