The Houston Astros look to bounce back after losing 1-5 to the Miami Marlins yesterday.
Jose Altuve was 3 for 4 in the game, driving in the only run for Houston. Jeremy Pena went 2 for 4, scoring a run. Framber Valdez lasted 7.2 innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs. He also walked one and struck out four.
Josh Bell went 2 for 4 for Miami, scoring a run and RBI on a solo home run. Luis Arraez and Jorge Soler also smacked homers as they crushed Houston. Braxton Garrett pitched 5.0 innings allowing four hits and striking out one batter.Â
Can the Astros bounce back from a lackluster performance yesterday, or will the Marlins clinch the series today?
Astros vs. Marlins Information & Odds
- Fixture: Houston @ Miami
- Date and Time: August 15, 2023, at 6:40 pm EST
- Location: loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida
Shark Stats
Houston Astros
Houston is second in the AL West standings with a record of 68-52. They have won six of their last ten games and are 3.5 games behind the Rangers for first. The Astros’ offense is ranked 13th, with a team batting average of .251 and an OPS of .739. Defensively, Houston has a .987 fielding percentage and committed 58 errors, which ranks 14th in the league.
Cristian Javier will get the start today for the Astros. He is 8-2 with a 4.36 ERA and 110 strikeouts. He has played 22 games, pitched 117.2 innings, and has a WHIP of 1.22. The Astros’ pitching ranks third in the league, with a team ERA of 3.78 and 36 saves. They have given up 449 earned runs, struck out 1,079 batters, and carry a WHIP of 1.26.
Miami Marlins
Miami has a record of 63-57 and is third in the NL East standings. They have won five of their last ten games and are 14.0 games behind the Braves for first. The Marlins have a team batting average of .262, an OPS of .720, and their offense ranks third in the league. Miami’s defense is ranked 24th with a fielding percentage of .984 and 71 errors.Â
Johnny Cueto (0-3) will take the bump in this one. He has an ERA of 5.33 and struck out 23 batters this season. Cueto has only played six games, pitched 27.0 innings, and has a WHIP of 1.00. Miami’s pitching ranks 15th, with a team ERA of 4.17, 31 saves, and three complete games. They have given up 486 earned runs, struck out 1,120 batters, and carry a WHIP of 1.28.
Astros vs. Marlins Betting Trends
Houston is 5-5 ATS in their last ten games and is 61-59 this season ATS. In their previous ten games, the over has hit five times, the under has hit four times, and they had one push.Â
Miami is 5-5 ATS in their previous ten games and carries a 54-65 ATS record this year. The Marlins O/U record sits at three overs and seven unders in their last ten games.Â
The Astros come in with a 54% to win outright, while the Marlins garner a 60% chance to cover the +1.5 run line. Game 2 has a 52% chance of going over 8.5 runs.Â
Cristian Javier has had nine quality starts this season and has pitched five or more innings in a game 18 times. For the Marlins’ Cueto, he has one quality start and has gone five or more innings in five straight games. Both pitchers have had a game where they did not give up an earned run.
Astros vs. Marlins Game Prediction
Houston could not get anything going yesterday as the Marlins’ pitching put them on lockdown. The Marlins are riding a three-game winning streak, while the Astros have lost two in a row. Javier gives Houston the pitching advantage, but Miami is playing inspired ball right now, which does not bode well for him. Cueto has been decent in limited action, and I see him having another decent outing in this one. The Astros are the better team, but the Marlins are rock and rolling right now, and I am rolling with them to clinch the series and win their fourth game in a row.Â
Dusty’sSharktastic Pick
Miami Marlins MLÂ
