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The Astros won a series in Boston last weekend, but the Sox get their chance to return the favor when the teams open a three-game rematch series Friday night in H-Town. Which way are we betting this game with our free MLB pick?
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<h2>
MLB Betting Odds<br />
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As of this writing, Friday's MLB betting odds were holding off on lining this game, perhaps waiting for more certain word on the status of several key players on both sides.
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<h2>
Red Sox vs. Astros Set-Up<br />
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<p>
Boston just took three of four games from the Blue Jays in Toronto this week, winning Thursday's series finale 8-2. That was a 1-1 game through five innings when the Red Sox scored two runs in the sixth, one each in the seventh and eighth and three in the ninth to pull away.
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With the win over the Astros, last Sunday Boston is 4-1 over its last five games. At 27-23 overall the Red Sox sit in second place in the AL East, 5.5 games behind the division-leading Yankees.
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Houston, meanwhile, just split four games at home with the White Sox, losing Thursday's series finale 4-0. The Astros managed just four hits Thursday and got just one runner as far as second base.
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With Thursday's loss, Houston is 2-3 over its last five games. But at 33-18 overall the Astros lead the AL West by seven games over second-place Texas.
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This series is the second meeting between these teams this season. Last weekend Houston took two of three games from the Sox at Fenway.
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<h2>
Friday's Starting Arms<br />
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<p>
This pitching match-up is a rematch of a game played last Sunday, a 4-3 Boston victory. The Sox won that one as -185 favorites, and that game played under a total of 9.5 runs.
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Lefty Miley, by our stringent accounting, is 4/10 on quality starts this season and 0 for his last two. Last Sunday, against this Boston outfit, Miley allowed three runs – two earned – on seven hits through five innings. And just before that, he gave up four runs on seven hits through six innings of an 11-4 Houston victory over Detroit.
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On the season the Astros are 7-3 with Miley, 5-1 over his last six starts.
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That start last weekend was Miley's first against the Red Sox since 2017 when he was with Baltimore.
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Fellow southpaw Sale is 5/10 on quality starts this year, and four for his last five. Last Sunday, against this Houston outfit, Sale allowed three runs on four hits and five walks through 5 1/3 innings. And over his last five starts, he's allowed just eight ER and 17 hits through 33 1/3 innings, with 59 strikeouts!
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Boston is only 3-7 with Sale this season, but 3-1 over his last four starts.
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Over his last three starts against the Astros, two last year, including one in that ALCS, and the one last weekend, Sale allowed nine runs and 11 hits through 15 1/3 innings. The Red Sox only won one of those three games.
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<h2>
Friday's Batting Splits<br />
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Boston is batting .244/.317/.438 this season against left-handed pitching. But this lineup could be without slugger JD Martinez, who's missed recent action with an illness.
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Houston is batting .288/.374/.534 against LH pitching this season, which ranks in the top five among all lineups against lefties. But the Astros are already missing spark-plug Jose Altuve, and now George Springer has missed recent action with a sore back. Houston has scored a total of 15 runs over its last five games.
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<h2>
The Bullpens<br />
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The Red Sox bullpen owns a 3.76 ERA this season and a 1.20 WHIP.
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The Astros bullpen owns a 2.64 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, both of which as best in the Majors.
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<h2>
Totals Report<br />
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Overs are 29-19 in Red Sox games this season.
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Unders are 28-20 in Astros games this season.
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Unders are 12-10 in games played at Minute Maid Park this season.
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Unders are 3-0 in Red Sox-Astros games this season.
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Unders are a combined 12-8 in games started by Miley and Sale this season.
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<p><section></p>
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><b><span style="color:#008000;">Get more details:</span></b> <a class="advblue" href=" https://www.sportsbettingstats.com/mlb/matchup/1076973">Boston at Houston MLB Match-up Stats </a> </span>
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