Astros vs Braves Odds line | World Series Game 3 picks

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The 2021 World Series between the Astros and Braves is tied 1-1 as it shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Friday night with the home side a very short favorite on the MLB odds. It’s the first of three straight games in Atlanta.

How to Bet Houston at Atlanta MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 8:09 PM ET
Where: Truist Park
Probable pitchers (away/home): Luis Garcia/Ian Anderson
TV: Fox
Stream/gameday audio: Fox Sports Go
Opening MLB Lines: Braves -108, Astros -102 (total 8.5)

Why Bet on Houston?

The Astros tied the series with a 7-2 home win in Game 2 on Wednesday. José Altuve doubled and homered; he doubled to leadoff the game against Max Fried, and came around to score on a sac fly by Alex Bregman. He homered to begin the bottom of the seventh off Drew Smyly to extend the lead to 7-2. Altuve now has 22 postseason homers, and that ties him with Bernie Williams for the second most in playoff history behind the 29 by Manny Ramirez.

The two extra-base hit performance was the third Altuve’s World Series career, tied with Chase Utley and Willie Randolph for the most by a second baseman in MLB history. Altuve is tied with the seventh-most such games overall in World Series history, and trails only George Springer (5), Duke Snider (5), Babe Ruth (5) Lou Gehrig (5), Mickey Mantle (4) and Reggie Jackson (4).

The Astros had one two-out RBI in Game 2, their 46th of these playoffs. That’s tied with the 2004 Red Sox and 1997 Indians for second-most in a single postseason in MLB history, trailing only last year’s World Series-winning Dodgers (59).

The Astros are 1-1 in a World Series for the second time in franchise history. In 2017, they also were and would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven.

It’s Luis Garcia on the mound here. He pitched in the clinching Game 6 of the ALCS vs. Boston and had 5.2 innings of shutout ball. Garcia, who left his previous ALCS start with a knee problem, showed up with his best stuff of the season and struck out seven, allowing just one hit and one walk.

Garcia became the third Astros pitcher in postseason history to pitch at least 5.2 innings without giving up more than one hit, joining Justin Verlander (2019 ALDS G1) and Brandon Backe (2004 NLCS G5). He became the third pitcher in MLB postseason history to toss at least 5.2 scoreless innings of one-hit ball in a potential clinching game, joining Bobby Jones (2000 NLDS G4), and Hall of Famers Pedro Martínez (1999 ALDS G5) and Tom Glavine (1995 WS G6).

During the regular season, Garcia was 11-8 with a 3.48 ERA. He was one of the best rookie pitchers in the AL this season, as he led all AL rookie pitchers in WAR (3.0), wins (11), innings (155.1) and strikeouts (167). Among AL rookies with 100+ IP on the season, Garcia ranked 2^nd in ERA (3.30), 3rd in opponent average (.230) and 3rd in WHIP (1.17).

Why Bet on Atlanta?

About the only Atlanta offense in the Game 2 loss came from catcher Travis d’Arnaud. He homered and scored two runs. The homer tied the game at 2-2 in the second inning, and he scored the second run for the Braves — and the last of the game for Atlanta — on Freddie Freeman’s RBI single.

It was d’Arnaud’s sixth career playoff homer, tied Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and Russell Martin for sixth-most among catchers in postseason history, trailing Jason Varitek (11), Jorge Posada (11), Javy López (10), Yogi Berra (10), Johnny Bench (10) and Gary Sánchez (7). D’Arnaud became the third catcher in franchise history to club a game-tying home run in a World Series contest, joining Bill Salkeld (1948 G5) and Del Crandall (1958 G7).

Ozzie Albies recorded his 35th career playoff hit and is on an 11-game hitting streak dating back to Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers. Albies’ streak is tied for the third-longest in franchise postseason history.

The Braves are tied 1-1 in a World Series for the fourth time in franchise history. They are 1-2 in the previous three.

This is the 61st time that a World Series has been tied 1-1 after two games. Of the previous 60 times, the winner of Game 2 has gone on to capture the Series in 31 occasions (51.7%). Of the previous 60 times that a World Series has been tied, 1-1, the team winning Game 3 has gone on to win the series 60 percent of the time.

It’s Ian Anderson on the mound in Game 3. Anderson pitched well in a no-decision against the Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS, allowing one run on three hits over his four innings. The right-hander struck four and walked one — throwing 39 of his 66 pitches for strikes. This postseason, Anderson sports a 2.25 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 12/4 K/BB ratio across 12 innings of work.

Anderson is heading into his eighth postseason start Friday, which is crazy considering he made his Major League debut just 14 months ago. He has a 3-0 record and a 1.47 ERA in 30 2/3 postseason innings with a better WHIP and strikeout rate in the postseason than he has in the regular season. The Braves have won six of the seven postseason games he has started.