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World Series shifts to Arlington for Game 3
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
at TEXAS RANGERS
World Series Game 3 - Series tied 1-1
First pitch: Saturday, 8:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Texas -185, St. Louis +175, Total: 9.5
The World Series moves to Texas on Saturday night when the Rangers host the Cards for Game 3, and the pitching matchup doesn’t scream greatness.
Each team will throw a middle-of-the-rotation arm, with Kyle Lohse going for St. Louis and lefty Matt Harrison starting for Texas. The Rangers are obviously tough at home, where they’ve won 11 of 12. But Harrison was knocked around in his post-All-Star break home starts, posting a 4.86 ERA, and the Cards’ .768 OPS against lefties is sixth-best in the majors. St. Louis can turn to its deep bullpen if Lohse gets off to a slow start, and the day off only helps their arms recover. And finally, the Cardinals are 4-2 on the road in the playoffs while the Rangers dropped two of their three World Series home games a year ago. The money line is way too steep in the Rangers’ favor, making ST. LOUIS the pick.
The FoxSheets provide a three-star trend working in the Cards’ favor:
Play Against - Home favorites with a money line of -150 or more (TEXAS) – top-level team, outscoring opponents by 1 or more runs/game on the season, after a one-run win. (47-42 over the last 5 seasons.) (52.8%, +40.7 units. Rating = 3*).
Lohse (14-8, 3.39 ERA in the regular season) has not pitched well in the postseason, allowing nine runs (eight earned) over 9.2 innings in his two playoff starts, both Cardinals losses. But he was solid on the road this year (8-4, 3.41 ERA) and St. Louis has the bullpen to cover for him if needed. Despite Jason Motte’s blown save in Game 2, the Cardinals bullpen has a 2.47 ERA over 47.1 innings in the playoffs, which is a 1.61 ERA since their meltdown in Game 1 of the NLDS.
Harrison (14-9, 3.39 ERA in the regular season) has allowed two runs over five innings in each of his two playoff starts, both on the road. He did not pitch well against good teams at home this year. In seven outings against teams that finished .500 or better, Harrison was 1-5 with a 6.34 ERA, and Texas lost six of those games.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
at TEXAS RANGERS
World Series Game 3 - Series tied 1-1
First pitch: Saturday, 8:05 p.m. EDT
Line: Texas -185, St. Louis +175, Total: 9.5
The World Series moves to Texas on Saturday night when the Rangers host the Cards for Game 3, and the pitching matchup doesn’t scream greatness.
Each team will throw a middle-of-the-rotation arm, with Kyle Lohse going for St. Louis and lefty Matt Harrison starting for Texas. The Rangers are obviously tough at home, where they’ve won 11 of 12. But Harrison was knocked around in his post-All-Star break home starts, posting a 4.86 ERA, and the Cards’ .768 OPS against lefties is sixth-best in the majors. St. Louis can turn to its deep bullpen if Lohse gets off to a slow start, and the day off only helps their arms recover. And finally, the Cardinals are 4-2 on the road in the playoffs while the Rangers dropped two of their three World Series home games a year ago. The money line is way too steep in the Rangers’ favor, making ST. LOUIS the pick.
The FoxSheets provide a three-star trend working in the Cards’ favor:
Play Against - Home favorites with a money line of -150 or more (TEXAS) – top-level team, outscoring opponents by 1 or more runs/game on the season, after a one-run win. (47-42 over the last 5 seasons.) (52.8%, +40.7 units. Rating = 3*).
Lohse (14-8, 3.39 ERA in the regular season) has not pitched well in the postseason, allowing nine runs (eight earned) over 9.2 innings in his two playoff starts, both Cardinals losses. But he was solid on the road this year (8-4, 3.41 ERA) and St. Louis has the bullpen to cover for him if needed. Despite Jason Motte’s blown save in Game 2, the Cardinals bullpen has a 2.47 ERA over 47.1 innings in the playoffs, which is a 1.61 ERA since their meltdown in Game 1 of the NLDS.
Harrison (14-9, 3.39 ERA in the regular season) has allowed two runs over five innings in each of his two playoff starts, both on the road. He did not pitch well against good teams at home this year. In seven outings against teams that finished .500 or better, Harrison was 1-5 with a 6.34 ERA, and Texas lost six of those games.
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