Boston (2-0) at LA Dodgers (0-2)
When: Friday, October 26th 2018
Where: Dodger Stadium,
Los Angeles, California
Time: 8:09 ET | TV: FOX
Opening Odds: Los Angeles -157/7.5
The Los Angeles Dodgers were out-hit, out-pitched, and out-managed over the first two games of the World Series as the Boston Red Sox were clearly the better team in taking a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Fall Classic. The series now shifts to Hollywood and the Dodgers are the big favorite in Game 3 with Walker Buehler on the mound opposing fellow righty Rick Porcello. L.A. manager Dave Roberts maneuvered his lineup to get the best matchups possible, but the Dodgers still struck out 20 times and the bullpen failed to come up in big situations. Was it that, or was it simply the team with the best record in baseball coming up in clutch situations? Boston is now 17-for-41 with 31 RBIs with runners in scoring position and two outs this postseason. Over half of their runs have been scored with two outs as well. Red Sox skipper Joey Cora is using starting pitchers in the late innings to help bridge the gap to closer Craig Kimbrel and got a scoreless inning out of right-hander Nathan Eovaldi in each of the first two games. The last team to come back from a 2-0 deficit to win the World Series was the 1996 New York Yankees.
Pitchers: Red Sox – Rick Porcello (1-0, 4.22 ERA) | Dodgers – Walker Buehler (0-1, 5.40)
Porcello had pitched well this postseason until he was hit for four runs on seven hits – two homers – in four innings in his American League Championship Series start at Houston on October 17th. Porcello allowed one run in a total of 6.2 innings over his first three postseason appearances (one start). He is 22-8 with a 4.11 ERA in 41 career interleague games and also went 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs at the plate during the regular season.
Buehler came up big in Game 7 of the NLCS by striking out seven while allowing one run over 4.2 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers and is line up for another Game 7 this series if the Dodgers can get their act together. Buehler held hitters to a .193 batting average during the regular season while striking out 151 in 137.1 innings and was particularly good at home. He is facing Boston for the first time and posted a 1.93 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) at Dodger Stadium this season.
I’m not sure why the Dodgers are such heavy favorites in this game, seeing is how the Red Sox have dominated. I don’t even know if the pitching matchup favors the Dodgers all that much here. This Boston team can hit, and they can hit in the clutch. I’ll continue to ride the Red Sox momentum until – or if – they lose.
Pick: Red Sox +144
BETTING TRENDS:
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 road games.
- Red Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 playoff games.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 playoff road games.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Red Sox are 9-1 in their last 10 interleague road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 14-2 in their last 16 World Series games.
- Red Sox are 7-1 in their last 8 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 6-1 in their last 7 World Series road games.
- Red Sox are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Red Sox are 42-11 in their last 53 interleague games.
- Red Sox are 49-14 in their last 63 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 41-12 in their last 53 during game 3 of a series.
- Red Sox are 46-16 in their last 62 vs. National League West.
- Red Sox are 22-8 in their last 30 interleague road games.
- Red Sox are 46-17 in their last 63 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 59-23 in their last 82 games on grass.
- Red Sox are 46-18 in their last 64 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 43-17 in their last 60 games following a win.
- Red Sox are 91-39 in their last 130 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 44-19 in their last 63 games following an off day.
- Red Sox are 66-29 in their last 95 overall.
- Red Sox are 69-31 in their last 100 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 42-19 in their last 61 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 2-5 in their last 7 Friday games.
- Red Sox are 4-0 in Porcello’s last 4 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 4-0 in Porcello’s last 4 starts with 8 or more days of rest.
- Red Sox are 15-1 in Porcello’s last 16 interleague starts.
- Red Sox are 7-1 in Porcello’s last 8 starts.
- Red Sox are 6-1 in Porcello’s last 7 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Red Sox are 5-1 in Porcello’s last 6 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Red Sox are 5-1 in Porcello’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Red Sox are 4-1 in Porcello’s last 5 road starts.
- Red Sox are 23-7 in Porcello’s last 30 starts on grass.
- Red Sox are 5-2 in Porcello’s last 7 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Dodgers are 6-1 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 5-1 in their last 6 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 9-2 in their last 11 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in their last 5 playoff home games.
- Dodgers are 17-5 in their last 22 home games.
- Dodgers are 19-7 in their last 26 interleague home games.
- Dodgers are 23-9 in their last 32 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Dodgers are 37-15 in their last 52 during game 3 of a series.
- Dodgers are 12-5 in their last 17 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Dodgers are 35-16 in their last 51 games following a loss.
- Dodgers are 36-17 in their last 53 Friday games.
- Dodgers are 21-10 in their last 31 overall.
- Dodgers are 21-10 in their last 31 games on grass.
- Dodgers are 35-17 in their last 52 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.
- Dodgers are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Dodgers are 1-4 in their last 5 World Series games.
- Dodgers are 0-5 in their last 5 games following an off day.
- Dodgers are 5-0 in Buehler’s last 5 Friday starts.
- Dodgers are 4-0 in Buehler’s last 4 interleague starts.
- Dodgers are 4-1 in Buehler’s last 5 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Dodgers are 7-3 in Buehler’s last 10 home starts.
- Over is 8-2 in Red Sox last 10 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 Friday games.
- Over is 4-1 in Red Sox last 5 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 12-3-2 in Red Sox last 17 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Red Sox last 6 during game 3 of a series.
- Over is 16-5-1 in Red Sox last 22 on grass.
- Over is 16-5-1 in Red Sox last 22 overall.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Red Sox last 5 interleague games.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Red Sox last 5 World Series games.
- Over is 14-5 in Red Sox last 19 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 13-5-2 in Red Sox last 20 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 5-2 in Red Sox last 7 World Series road games.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Red Sox last 8 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 5-2 in Red Sox last 7 playoff games.
- Over is 5-2 in Red Sox last 7 playoff road games.
- Over is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 road games.
- Over is 7-3 in Red Sox last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 36-16-2 in Red Sox last 54 games following an off day.
- Over is 9-4 in Red Sox last 13 games following a win.
- Over is 34-16-2 in Red Sox last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 6-0 in Porcello’s last 6 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 5-0 in Porcello’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Porcello’s last 5 starts with 8 or more days of rest.
- Over is 4-1 in Porcello’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2 in Porcello’s last 7 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Dodgers last 4 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-0-2 in Dodgers last 6 home games.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Dodgers last 4 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 5-0-1 in Dodgers last 6 games following a loss.
- Under is 4-0-2 in Dodgers last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 4-0 in Dodgers last 4 during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 8-1-2 in Dodgers last 11 playoff home games.
- Over is 4-1 in Dodgers last 5 games following an off day.
- Over is 4-1 in Dodgers last 5 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Dodgers last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 4-1 in Dodgers last 5 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 6-2 in Dodgers last 8 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 6-2-3 in Dodgers last 11 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 13-5-1 in Dodgers last 19 Friday games.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Dodgers last 8 on grass.
- Over is 5-2 in Dodgers last 7 interleague games.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Dodgers last 8 overall.
- Under is 5-2 in Dodgers last 7 interleague home games.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Dodgers last 8 playoff games.
- Under is 7-3 in Dodgers last 10 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-0 in Buehler’s last 4 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 7-0-1 in Buehler’s last 8 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 11-1-1 in Buehler’s last 13 home starts.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Buehler’s last 9 starts on grass.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Buehler’s last 9 starts overall.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Buehler’s last 7 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Buehler’s last 5 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 12-3-1 in Buehler’s last 16 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Buehler’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Red Sox are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.
