Thursday, October8, 2020, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, 3:35 p.m. ET
A’s at Astros Betting Preview: A’s (odds TBA), Astros (odds TBA)
Oakland A’s
Right-hander Frankie Montas will get the start in Game 4, looking much better of late after a rough second half of the short season. Montas was 1-4 with a 10.88 ERA over a late six-start stretch, but he didn’t give up an earned run over six innings of his regular-season finale and he tossed two innings of one-run ball in Game 3 of the wild-card round.
The A’s hit five home runs in Game 3 after hitting five total in the first two games of the American League Division Series. Chad Pinder, Khris Davis and Matt Olson have two each in the three games.
Closer Liam Hendriks went three innings to get the win in Game 3, but his status for Game 4 was unknown. The A’s are just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position in the series.
Houston Astros
Three innings away from advancing to their fourth consecutive AL Championship Series, the Astros blew a late three-run lead Wednesday. They will give it another try Thursday, though they had not named a Game 4 starter. The rotation is light as Zack Greinke deals with an arm ailment.
The Houston bullpen didn’t give up a run in seven innings during the first two games of the series but gave up five in Game 3, with right-hander Josh James charged with three and lefty Brooks Raley taking the loss after giving up two runs.
The Astros have eight home runs in the series, with two coming in Game 3. Jose Altuve and Aledmys Diaz each went deep Wednesday. Carlos Correa hit two in Game 1 and George Springer had two in Game 2.
A’s at Astros Betting Pick for Game 4
The A’s have the momentum now, and other than the up-in-the-air status for Hendriks, the pitching staff appears to be in good shape with Montas starting. Five home runs in a game is one way to get the job done, but futility with runners in scoring position is not.
The Astros were thriving on the mound early in the series, but suddenly the bullpen appears to be stretched a little thin in a series without a day off.
A’s at Astros Betting Pick:
A’s 8, Astros 6
A’s at Astros Best Bet for Game
The ball is flying out of Dodger Stadium and there is zero sense that will stop even if temperatures will be slightly cooler Thursday. With a combined 18 home runs, the teams are four away from tying the ALDS record set by the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners in 1995.
A’s at Astros Best Bet: OVER (run total and odds TBA)
–Field Level Media
