There’s nothing like a long winning streak to make a team feel better. The Houston Astros turned around a slow start by winning 11 games in a row. That streak ended on Saturday so all the Stros did was start another one, closing the week with a 8-0 win over the Nationals, their 12th win in 13 games to stay ahead of the LA Angels in the AL West.
They’ll look to keep the good times rolling with a matchup against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday in the middle of a three-game set. The Sox enter the week in last place in the AL East and look to turn things around during a seven-game homestand. They are just 4-9 at Fenway Park entering this series so there is work to do.
Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox Date and Time
This AL matchup takes place on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 7:10 p.m. ET from Fenway Park in Boston. The game will air live on TBS with betting options for every game on the 2022 MLB schedule available at BookMaker.eu.
Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox Odds
Houston Astros (Check Back Later)
Boston Red Sox (Check Back Later)
Total (Check Back Later)
Odds Analysis
Winners of four straight full-season division crowns, the Astros aren’t ready to give up their hold just yet. The rest of the pack is catching up but Houston is the favorite and they’re showing why. Bolstered by strong pitching and timely hitting, the Astros won 11 straight games with five of them by shutout. Their 12th win this month also came by shutout on Sunday after the winning streak was snapped the day before. With a staff ERA of 2.91 and a 1.12 WHIP, Houston ranks among the top-5 in those categories. Add in a sluggish offense and UNDER bettors have cashed out in 12 of Houston’s last 15 games.
A lot of the names have changed over the years. Carlos Correa took his talents elsewhere as did several others, but the Astros have continued their trend of winning a lot of baseball games. Pitching has been the key, though the club got a lift from Yuli Gurriel over the weekend. Gurriel went 3 for 4 with a homer in Sunday’s 8-0 win and finished the series 8 for 12 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs. He raised his batting average to .248 in the process giving the Astros hope that more runs are in the future.
The Sox were 6-5 at one point this season before things took a turn. Since beating Toronto on April 19, they are just 7-16 with a combination of poor pitching and bad offense contributing to the slide. It looked for a second like things were starting to turn around. The Sox won the first two games with Texas over the weekend outscoring the Rangers 18-4, but they failed to string together three consecutive wins for the first time dropping Sunday’s finale 7-1. At least they got their first series win in a month.
After last season’s success the bar was raised in Boston, unfortunately the Sox haven’t cleared it. They dropped to 13-21 with Sunday’s loss and are one of the worst bets in baseball both at home and overall. They are $798 in the red overall and $552 in the red at Fenway. They dropped five in a row at home before embarking on the just concluded road trip getting outscored 28-10 in those games.
Probable Pitchers
Unfortunately for Jose Urquidy (2-1, 4.40 ERA) Mother Nature cost him a possible win last time out. Staked to a 5-1 lead after three lead and allowing one run on three hits, the game was postponed. Houston finished the 11-3 victory the next day but Urquidy had nothing to show for it. Though abbreviated, it was his second straight solid start. He blanked Detroit on six hits over 6.0 innings in his previous outing taking another ND. Urquidy has been roughed up on the road this season allowing 22 hits with a 6.35 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over 17 innings of four starts.
The Astros have won his last three starts, though, scoring 25 runs in the process. The young righty has one previous start against the Sox on his resume and it was a good one. He allowed just one run on three hits with nine strikeouts in an 11-2 win at Minute Maid Park last season. This will be his first appearance at Fenway Park.
It’s been a solid season so far for Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 3.15 ERA) without much to show for it. He’s completed at least 5.0 innings in all but one of his seven starts and has not allowed more than three runs in any start.
He hasn’t had much support from his mates, who have scored a total of eight runs in dropping his last four starts. During that span Eovaldi is 0-1 with three NDs while pitching to a 2.84 ERA. Over his last three starts against the Astros he’s 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA giving up seven homers in 16.2 innings.
Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox Predictions
I have to admit I’m not a Red Sox fan and I like it when they lose. Still, that’s no way to bet, but looking at the numbers tells a story, and the Sox aren’t that good. I can see runs being scored to feel good about backing the OVER and Houston’s hot streak has me leaning toward the visitors on the moneyline.
Prediction: Houston Astros and UNDER
