A weekend series between the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros kicks off Friday night. At home, the Astros are -125 favorites to take the series opener.
Houston heads into the series coming off back-to-back losses to the White Sox, including a 4-0 defeat on Thursday in which young Chicago starter Lucas Giolito went the distance, allowing just four hits. Despite the setback, the Astros have won 15 of their last 19 games, giving them a seven-game lead in the AL West. They also took two of three from the Red Sox in Boston last weekend.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, are continuing to play catchup in the AL East. After dropping last weekend’s series to Houston, the Red Sox went to Toronto and took three of four from the Blue Jays, putting 29 runs on the board across those four games to get them back on track despite a 5.5-game deficit in the AL East.
Back on Sale
Chris Sale is in line for the start on Friday. His season didn’t get off to such a hot start, but he has registered a 2.05 ERA over his four starts in May, so things are definitely moving in the right direction. In addition to a substantial drop in his ERA, Sale is striking out the world in the month of May, racking up 51 Ks in 26.1 innings over his last four starts, striking out at least 10 each time out.
Of course, his start last weekend against the Astros didn’t go all that well. Despite 10 strikeouts, he also walked five and gave up three runs over 5.1 innings. Sale will have the advantage of facing a Houston lineup that has cooled off over the last few days. Also, the two guys who have remained steady for the Astros over the past week, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick, are both left-handed hitters. Brantley is also 8 for 41 (.195) with 13 strikeouts in his career against Sale.
Coasting Along
Wade Miley will oppose Sale and the Red Sox on Friday. The lefty gets a little lost in the shuffle next to Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, but he’s been a reliable member of Houston’s rotation this season. In 10 starts, he’s 4-2 with a 3.51 ERA. The strikeout numbers aren’t gaudy, but Miley has given the Astros six solid innings in six of his 10 starts. He almost always puts Houston in a position to win considering how potent their offense can be.
On the other hand, Miley has struggled with some of Boston’s hitters in the past. Mookie Betts has crushed him, going 6 for 11 with three doubles and a home run. Xander Bogaerts and Steve Pearce have also had their way with Miley. As mentioned, the Boston lineup enters this series with plenty of momentum. Bogaerts is hitting .419 over his last seven games while Rafael Devers and Michael Chavis have three home runs apiece over the past week.
Road Dogs
It’s hard to imagine the Astros actually losing their third game in a row. But Sale is back on track and so is Boston’s lineup. Bet on the Red Sox winning in Houston as underdogs on Friday.
