by Ben Perks
After Houston made up for their Game 1 loss with a convincing 7-2 win against Atlanta on Wednesday, the MLB World Series is tied going into Game 3. Check out insights and the latest odds for the third game of the series on October 29.
Online sportsbook Bovada has the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros at even odds to win Game 3. The game will start at 20:09 ET at Truist Park on what is forecast to be a clear 50-degree night. Oddsmakers have disregarded the home advantage and think this MLB World Series matchup is too close to call.
Possible Pitchers
The Atlanta Braves will give the ball to Ian Anderson, who’s pitched well in the postseason. In all three of his starts, Anderson has only allowed two runs or less. However, the length of his outings could be a concern for the Braves. The 23-year-old has gotten out of the 5th inning in only one of his playoff starts. Also, he has lasted 4 and 3 innings in his last two appearances, respectively.
He scattered just three hits and one run against the LA Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS during his last time out, getting four strikeouts and a walk. Despite being excellent in last year’s playoffs – posting a pair of wins, with a 0.96 ERA and 1.13 WHIP – he will have to bring his a-game when facing the powerful Astros batters in Game 3.
In Game 2, Houston bagged seven runs and nine hits, securing a 5-1 lead after just two innings. The Astros have now crossed the plate at least five times in ten of their 12 postseason matchups. These stats will interest anyone looking to place a prop bet on Friday’s game.
Anderson vs. Garcia 2021 Playoff Statistics
| Ian Anderson | VS | Luis Garcia |
|---|---|---|
| 1-0 | Record | 1-1 |
| 2.25 | ERA | 9.64 |
| 1.08 | WHIP | 1.61 |
| .200 | OBA | .261 |
| 3.0 | SO/W Ratio | 1.7 |
The Astros will aim to counter Anderson with Luis Garcia. The Venezuelan rebounded from two poor postseason starts last time out. When playing against the Boston Red Sox in a potential ALCS clinching game, Garcia shut them out over 5.2 innings, allowing only a single hit. He also stuck out seven Boston hitters and yielded just one walk to help Houston to an impressive 5-0 victory.
Many didn’t expect him to have such a strong start after giving up numerous hits by the Red Sox earlier in the ALCA and playing badly against the Chicago White Sox in the ALDS. However, this Atlanta lineup will be a tough test for Garcia.
2021 Playoff Batting Average
| Astros Batters | Batting Average in ’21 Playoffs | Braves Batters | Batting Average in ’21 Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Altuve | .178 | Ozzie Albies | .277 |
| Yordan Alvarez | .432 | Austin Riley | .244 |
| Michael Brantley | .340 | Eddie Rosario | .465 |
| Alex Bregman | .256 | Dansby Swanson | .244 |
| Martin Maldonado | .065 | Adam Duvall | .231 |
| Carlos Correa | .275 | Freddie Freeman | .297 |
| Kyle Tucker | .295 | Travis d’Arnaud | .200 |
| Yuli Gurriel | .349 | Joc Pederson | .273 |
Although the Braves only made two runs and seven hits in Game 2 of the series, they will face the Astros at home for Game 3 where they boast a higher batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging percentage than on the road. Therefore, Atlanta might have the edge in Game 3. Check out the latest odds for upcoming baseball games.
Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
