ALCS Game 6: Justin Verlander on Hill in Must Win Against Yankees

Yankees Look to Advance to World Series Against Justin Verlander

The Houston Astros will turn to Justin Verlander on Friday when they take on the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park. The Astros are in a must win situation against the ALCS. Fox Sports 1 will televise the game. First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 pm EST. For the second consecutive round the Yankees can eliminate the favorite on the road. Their pitching has been better, their hitting has been more timely, and the Yankees have the Astros backed into a corner. The momentum is on the Yankees side, and Justin Verlander is trying to stop it. Oddsmakers opened the Astros as -125-moneyline favorites versus the Yankees, while the game’s total opened at 7.5. The total has held steady, but the moneyline now has Houston as a -145-favorite.

Yankees Turn to Severino to Close out the Astros

Right hander Luis Severino will take the mound for the Yankees to start this game. Severino is 15-6 this season with a 3.12 ERA. Severino takes the hill with the Yankees one victory away from their first AL pennant since 2009. He lasted four innings and allowed one run opposite of Verlander in Game 2. Severino left early after taking a sharply hit ground ball off his left wrist that same inning. Severino was upset at Yankees manager Joe Girardi. He didn’t like him taking him out despite being able to continue. He will get a chance tonight to pitch well, and deeper into the game. New York held off three elimination games against the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. They won the finale on the road at Progressive Field. Keuchel and Verlander had brilliant starts for the Astros to open the ALCS. The Yankees fought back once the series shifted to the Bronx.

Justin Verlander Needs to Pitch Well Again

Verlander delivered a complete-game gem in Game 2 last Saturday. He allowed one run on five hits. He had one walk with 13 strikeouts in a tense 2-1 victory. Now with its offense struggling to score, Houston needs Verlander to be great once more. After pacing the majors in runs, with 896, batting average at .282, on-base percentage at .346, and slugging percentage at .478), the offense has taken a hiatus.  They also ranked second to the Yankees in home runs with 238 during the regular season. The Astros have had  just nine runs and one homer this series with a awful slash line of .147/.234/.213. The bullpen drew fire after blowing a four-run lead with nine outs left in Game 4. The team was on the brink of a 3-1 series lead with Dallas Keuchel up next in the rotation.

Yankees Use Same Lineup, Astros insert Gattis

Houston manager A.J. Hinch decided to return “El Oso Blanco”, Evan Gattis, to the lineup. He replaces Carlos Beltran who is 1 for 12 with four strikeouts in the series. The New York Yankees are staying with what works. Here’s the Yankees Starting Lineup Friday:

1. LF Brett Gardner
2. RF Aaron Judge
3. SS Didi Gregorius
4. C Gary Sanchez
5. 1B Greg Bird
6. 2B Starlin Castro
7. CF Aaron Hicks
8. 3B Todd Frazier
9. DH Chase Headley RHP Luis Severino

 

Here is the Astros Starting Lineup:

1. CF George Springer
2. RF Josh Reddick
3. 2B Jose Altuve
4. SS Carlos Correa
5. 1B Yuli Gurriel
6. 3B Alex Bregman
7. LF Marwin Gonzalez
8. DH Evan Gattis
9. C Brian McCann RHP Justin Verlander

   

Justin Verlander (18-8) ERA: 3.26

NY Yankees’s relievers have pitched 9 innings in the last 3 games.
Houston’s relievers have pitched 9.2 innings in the last 3 games.

Houston Astros – Justin Verlander

Title	Stat	Rank	Stat	Rank
Away Team Overall Scoring vs Home Team Overall Defense	5.25	2	4.32	9
Away Team Away Scoring vs Home Team Home Defense	4.91	5	3.92	4
Home Team Overall Scoring vs Away Team Overall Defense	5.43	1	3.99	3
Home Team Home Scoring vs Away Team Road Defense	4.88	13	4.23	8

Head To Head Detail

ALCS Betting Trends

New York Yankees
NY Yankees is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
NY Yankees is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
NY Yankees is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
NY Yankees is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
NY Yankees is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Yankees’s last 10 games when playing Houston
NY Yankees is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
NY Yankees is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of NY Yankees’s last 18 games when playing on the road against Houston

Houston Astros
Houston is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Houston is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston’s last 6 games
Houston is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games at home
Houston is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston’s last 11 games at home
Houston is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston’s last 10 games when playing NY Yankees
Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Houston’s last 18 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

New York Yankees

Houston Astros

New York Yankees

Houston Astros

  Next up: New York at Houston Saturday, October 21 (if necessary) Get your MLB Playoff odds at Bovada today.