Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Monday 10/8/18
Houston Astros vs. Cleveland Indians Preview and Predictions 10-08-2018 in MLB
MLB Previews 7th October 2018 by Gracenote
Astros vs. Indians Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/07/2018
The Cleveland Indians hope to wake up their dormant offense and avoid being swept when they host the Houston Astros for Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Monday afternoon. The Indians, who finished third in the major leagues in hits during the regular season, have managed just six - five singles and a homer by Francisco Lindor - to go along with four walks and 24 strikeouts while dropping the first two contests of the best-of-five series.
"We just need to find a way to win Monday," Cleveland manager Terry Francona told reporters after Saturday's 3-1 loss. "I'm guessing that Houston will enjoy their off-day more than we will. Other than that, show up on Monday and play for our baseball life. Nobody wants to go home." Dallas Keuchel, who won two games in both the 2015 and 2017 postseasons, will try to close things out for the Astros while Cleveland's Mike Clevinger makes his first career postseason start after six relief appearances. Houston's Alex Bregman has homered in each game of the series while registering a total of three RBIs and teammate Marwin Gonzalez has recorded five hits in seven at-bats after batting .247 during the regular season. The Astros finished September on an 8-2 run and have carried it over to the postseason, but manager A.J. Hinch does not expect his team to slow down. "This is not our first playoff series," he told reporters. "We know it's not over."
TV: 1:30 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (12-11, 3.74 ERA) vs. Indians RH Mike Clevinger (13-8, 3.02)
Keuchel did not finish the regular season strong, going 1-1 with a 5.76 ERA in his last five turns while issuing 12 walks over 25 innings. The 30-year-old native of Oklahoma is 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in eight postseason appearances (seven starts) but allowed six runs over 11 frames in two outings against the Indians in 2018. Michael Brantley is 6-for-24 with a pair of homers and Jose Ramirez has gone 5-for-12 with three doubles versus Keuchel, who is 4-1 with a 2.79 ERA lifetime against Cleveland.
Clevinger was outstanding in the final two months of the regular season, going 6-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 11 games after posting his career-best 13th win on Sept. 28 at Kansas City in his last start. The 27-year-old lost both of his outings against Houston in May, allowing eight runs and 15 hits - including homers by Bregman and George Springer - over 11 2/3 innings. Clevinger, who is 7-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 17 home starts this season, has permitted six runs and nine walks over seven postseason frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Astros recorded eight extra-base hits - five homers and three doubles - in the first two games of the series.
2. The Indians have not been swept in the postseason since Willie Mays and the New York Giants won four straight in the 1954 World Series.
3. Houston went 3-6 on the road in the playoffs last year but won Game 7 of the World Series 5-1 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
PREDICTION: Indians 4, Astros 3
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Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees Preview and Predictions 10-08-2018 in MLB
MLB Previews 7th October 2018 by Gracenote
Red Sox vs. Yankees Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/07/2018
The New York Yankees proved to be the most powerful team in Major League Baseball history during the regular season, and the postseason is turning out to be no different. The Yankees will try to keep the home runs coming and grab a lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series when they host the rival Boston Red Sox in Game 3 on Monday.
New York set a record with 267 home runs during the regular season and is up to six through three postseason games after Gary Sanchez blasted a pair and Aaron Judge added a solo shot during a 6-2 victory in Game 2 that evened the series. "A homer is a homer," Sanchez told reporters. "And if we have the opportunity to score runs like that, you know, even if it's 300 feet, I'll take it. Anytime we score and we're helping the team, I'm going to take those." Boston won a franchise-record 108 games during the regular season in part because of its solid starting rotation but David Price could not make it through the second inning of Game 2 and the outlook for the rest of the rotation is unsettled, though the team's confidence has not waned. "I mean, we lost one game," Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez told reporters. "You know what I mean? The battle has been back and forth. I don't think anyone thought we were going to come in here and sweep really. If you look at the records, what are we about even? Wins and losses versus them? So, you know it's going to be a battle."
TV: 7:40 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Nathan Eovaldi (6-7, 3.81 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Luis Severino (0-0, 0.00)
Eovaldi draws the Game 3 start instead of right-hander Rick Porcello, who was used in relief in Friday's series opener. Eovaldi, who is making his first career playoff appearance, posted a 1.93 ERA in four starts against New York during the regular season and did not allow an earned run in three starts (16 innings) versus the Yankees after being traded to the Red Sox at the July 31 deadline. "Yeah, it definitely gives me confidence just knowing that I've had recent success against them," Eovaldi told reporters. "I'm trying to do the same thing that I have been doing - stay aggressive and try to get that first-pitch strike out of the way."
Severino is making his second start of the 2018 postseason after getting the nod in the wild card game Tuesday and scattering two hits along with four walks over four scoreless innings while striking out seven. The Dominican Republic native, who needed 87 pitches to get through those four frames, is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in five career postseason starts, with the lone win coming over Cleveland in the 2017 ALDS. Severino made five starts against Boston during 2018 and went 2-2 with a 3.56 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox 1B Mitch Moreland suffered a hamstring injury in Game 2 and is questionable for Monday.
2. Judge homered in each of New York's first three postseason games and is 7-for-12 with five runs scored and four RBIs in the playoffs.
3. Boston RF Mookie Betts, who won the AL batting title while hitting .346 in the regular season, is 1-for-7 with a pair of strikeouts in the series.
PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Red Sox 4
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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves Preview and Predictions 10-08-2018 in MLB
MLB Previews 8th October 2018 by Gracenote
Dodgers vs. Braves Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/08/2018
Maybe the Atlanta Braves just needed to get home to find their footing in the National League Division Series, as they find themselves still alive and hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 4 on Monday, less than 24 hours after staving off elimination with a 6-5 victory at SunTrust Park. Atlanta did not score a run in two losses at Los Angeles but rode a grand slam by Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman's solo homer to cut the Dodgers' best-of-five series lead to 2-1.
Acuña, the favorite to be the NL Rookie of the Year, became the youngest player in postseason history to belt a grand slam at 20 years, 293 days old and has recorded three of the Braves' 15 hits in the series. Los Angeles, trying to reach the NL Championship Series for the third consecutive year, received 15 scoreless innings from its starters in the first two games before rookie Walter Buehler issued a bases-loaded walk to counterpart Sean Newcomb in the second inning of Game 3 and served up Acuña's blast that put the Braves ahead 5-0. Los Angeles battled back to tie it thanks to homers by Chris Taylor and Max Muncy, giving the team seven blasts in the series. Freeman's sixth-inning leadoff shot for Atlanta gave him hits in seven of his eight career postseason contests.
TV: 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Rich Hill (2018: 11-5, 3.66 ERA) vs. Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (0-1, 18.00)
Hill ended the regular season with a flourish, winning all five of his turns in September while posting a 3.90 ERA and a .174 opponents batting average. The 38-year-old made five starts in last year's playoffs for the Dodgers, allowing five earned runs and 13 hits in 17 2/3 innings. Hill scattered three hits over seven scoreless frames en route to victory on July 26 in his only appearance against Atlanta this season.
Foltynewicz fizzled in his postseason debut in the series opener as he surrendered four runs and three hits - including homers by Joc Peterson and Muncy - in just two innings. The 27-year-old native of Illinois registered five strikeouts but issued three walks and hit a batter. Foltynewicz finished the regular season 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 183 innings while earning his first career All-Star appearance.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta RF Nick Markakis went 0-for-3 in Game 3 and is just 1-for-10 in the series.
2. Muncy has recorded two hits - both homers - in the series while driving in four runs.
3. A victory by Atlanta will force a decisive Game 5 in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
PREDICTION: Braves 5, Dodgers 4
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