The Lone Star State is still Astros territory. That is until the Texas Rangers are able to win two more games in this American League Championship Series. On Wednesday, the Astros won 8-5 to boost themselves back into this series.
The ’22 World Series winners are still the champs until someone knocks the crown off their heads. Top sports betting apps have odds available for Astros vs. Rangers Game 4:
Baseball bettors who’ve been reminded over and over (and over) of Houston’s greatness over the last seven years may look with delight at +200 odds from BetMGM on the Astros to win the ALCS. Baseball betting and the sportsbook promos available this time of year are fueling great interest in the national pastime as we rapidly approach the Fall Classic.
Houston and Texas play Game 4 on Thursday evening, again in Arlington, where the Rangers hope to halt a home losing streak against their in-state rivals.
The Rangers are still favored to win the ALCS. As winners of the first two games on the road, Texas has history on their side. The previous 29 times a team won the first two games of an LCS as the away team, they went on to win 26 times.
Series Odds: Astros are +200, and Rangers are -250 from BetMGM.
Series Schedule, TV Coverage of ALCS
- Game 1: Rangers 2, Astros 0
- Game 2: Rangers 5, Astros 4
- Game 3: Astros 8, Rangers 5
- Game 4: Astros at Rangers, Oct. 19, 8:03 PM ET on FS1
- Game 5: Astros at Rangers, Oct. 20, 7:07 PM ET on FS1
- Game 6:* Rangers at Astros, Oct. 22, 8:03 PM ET on FS1
- Game 7:* Rangers at Astros, Oct. 23, 8:03 PM ET on FOX/FS1
*If necessary
Head-to-Head Results
Houston won the series, 9-4. View analysis on the ALCS from our initial series preview.
Pitching Matchup for Game 4
José Urquidy (3.18 ERA, 6 K in 5.2 IP in postseason) vs. Andrew Heaney (2.46 ERA, 1 K in 3.2 IP in postseason)
If slow and steady wins the race, as that old saying goes, then José Urquidy is the proper man to be on the bump in Game 4 for Houston. The right-hander is methodical, bordering on sleepy when he pitches. Urquidy exhibits a low heart rate on the mound, and he has tremendous success against the Rangers. In seven starts vs. TEX, Urquidy is 5-0 with a 2.82 ERA. Ready for his K-to-BB ratio? It’s 45-to-4 against Texas lifetime.
The Rangers are going to try to run back what they did in Game 1 of the AL Division Series, when Heaney started and did his best to get 3-4 innings to hand the game to the bullpen. The Rangers have Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery to serve as Game 1-2 starters, but after that, manager Bruce Bochy is trying to patch together old, weathered shoulders and young, untested elbows. Heaney fits in that unsteady mix. If he’s able to record 12 outs, the Rangers will be satisfied.
More Baseball: World Series Odds | Best MLB Betting Sites | MLB MVP Odds
Astros vs. Rangers Game 4 Prediction
Each team has now scored 12 runs in this series. Each team has sent a grizzled ace to the hill (Houston’s Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer for the Rangers). And each team is undefeated on the road. For Houston, the continuation of that last trend would be very out of this world (astronaut term).
The Astros are far from long in the tooth. They have several key players performing well, namely Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve. That doesn’t even mention the bullpen, which continues to be amazing. That group has a 3.00 ERA with only one home run allowed in 27 innings in seven games.
We expect Houston to win a close game and tie the ALCS.
ALCS Game 4 Best Bet
Astros +115 on the moneyline: Houston continues its winning away from home, beating the Rangers for a sixth consecutive time at Global Life Stadium.
Consider this parlay, with odds of +1542 from BetMGM Sportsbook:
- Yordan Alvarez To Hit a Home Run
- Jose Altuve To Record a Hit
- Ryan Pressly To Record the Final Out
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