Article courtesy OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Los Angeles Dodgers (29-18) are coming off a huge three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants on the weekend and hope to extend their seven-game winning streak as favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com in a two-game road set against the Houston Astros (26-21) this week (how sports betting works).
The Dodgers moved past the Giants into second place in the National League West standings following the sweep, while the Astros are also in second in the American League West after losing their last three games.
Dodgers vs. Astros | OddsShark Matchup Report
Tuesday’s series-opening pitching matchup is a great one between three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw (6-3, 3.18 ERA) for Los Angeles against Houston’s one-time AL winner Zack Greinke (4-1, 3.77 ERA). The Dodgers opened as -120 road favorites at online betting sites for Tuesday’s opener. Kershaw has closed as a favorite in all 10 of his starts so far this season, and Los Angeles has won in each of his last three outings since he went only one inning at Chicago. This will be his first start at Minute Maid Park since Game 5 of the 2017 World Series.
The same can be said for Houston with Greinke on the mound, as the team has won three in a row since he walked away with a no-decision in an eventual 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees on May 4. He is coming off one of his best starts of the year as well, allowing one run and four hits in eight innings of an 8-1 rout of the Oakland Athletics last Wednesday with no walks and a season-high eight strikeouts. The former Dodger has gone just 7-7 in 18 starts against his old team with a 4.60 ERA. Greinke pitched for Los Angeles from 2013-2015.
In Wednesday’s series finale, reigning NL Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer (5-2, 1.98 ERA) will get the call for the Dodgers opposite Luis Garcia (2-3, 3.38 ERA) of the Astros. Bauer could be on his way to winning the award for the second consecutive season based on how he has pitched in May with a 1.14 ERA in 23.2 innings during the month. Meanwhile, Garcia has earned both of his two wins in his past two starts, and he has a solid 2.53 ERA in five home games this year.
These teams met four times in 2020, with Los Angeles winning three of those meetings, including the two at Houston. The Dodgers have also won four of the last five games played between the teams since dropping nine of 12 in the series between 2015 and 2018. The UNDER is on a 6-2-1 run in the past nine meetings.
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