Colorado (63-55) at Houston (73-46)
When: Tuesday, August 14th 2018
Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX
Time: 8:10 ET | TV: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain,
AT&T SportsNet Southwest
Opening Odds: Houston -200/7.5
The Houston Astros come into this week licking their wounds from a four-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners at home, and will try and get back on track when they host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. The Astros, who have dropped eight in a row at Minute Maid Park, hold a slim two-game lead over the surging Oakland Athletics in the American League West. They will send ace Justin Verlander to the hill against Colorado’s German Marquez. The Rockies come in with momentum, having taken the last three of a four-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers – winning each game by one run – and sit just one game behind Arizona in the NL West. Rockies All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado (shoulder) was limited to pinch hitting on Saturday and Sunday and is questionable for Tuesday’s opener. Trevor Story has been picking up the slack for the Colorado offense, hitting safely in 10-straight contests, while Houston’s Evan Gattis is hitless in his last 16 at bats.
Pitchers: Rockies – German Marquez (9-9, 4.69 ERA) | Astros – Justin Verlander (11-7, 2.50)
Marquez is coming off a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, allowing three runs and 10 hits over six innings, but did manage to strike out a season-high 10 batters. Marquez has 139 Ks on the season and has struck out at least eight in each of his last three starts. He is facing the Astros for the first time and is 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA in seven career interleague starts.
Verlander has simply awful against the Mariners last week and took out his frustrations on the home plate umpire. He was ejected after being called for a balk, but before that, allowed six runs on seven hits over two innings. Verlander boasts 206 strikeouts in 158.1 innings and had 14 over 7.2 innings at the Los Angeles Dodgers in his previous start. He is 33-6 record with a 2.76 ERA in 46 interleague outings.
I know the Astros have lost eight in a row at home, but this is a championship team that won’t fold and Verlander will absolutely bounce back with a solid outing here. The day off will help Houston refocus. I’ll take the runline.
Pick: Astros -1.5 +103
BETTING TRENDS:
- Rockies are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. American League West.
- Rockies are 4-0 in their last 4 interleague games.
- Rockies are 4-0 in their last 4 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Rockies are 5-1 in their last 6 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Rockies are 21-7 in their last 28 games following a win.
- Rockies are 9-4 in their last 13 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Rockies are 20-41 in their last 61 interleague road games.
- Rockies are 3-7 in their last 10 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Rockies are 1-4 in their last 5 road games.
- Rockies are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Rockies are 0-4 in their last 4 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Rockies are 4-0 in Marquez’s last 4 interleague starts.
- Rockies are 6-2 in Marquez’s last 8 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Rockies are 5-2 in Marquez’s last 7 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Rockies are 5-2 in Marquez’s last 7 starts.
- Rockies are 5-2 in Marquez’s last 7 starts on grass.
- Rockies are 2-5 in Marquez’s last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Astros are 6-0 in their last 6 Tuesday games.
- Astros are 4-0 in their last 4 interleague home games.
- Astros are 7-1 in their last 8 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Astros are 40-16 in their last 56 vs. National League West.
- Astros are 37-15 in their last 52 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Astros are 35-16 in their last 51 during game 1 of a series.
- Astros are 65-30 in their last 95 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Astros are 56-26 in their last 82 interleague games.
- Astros are 36-17 in their last 53 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Astros are 35-17 in their last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Astros are 16-33 in their last 49 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Astros are 2-7 in their last 9 games following a loss.
- Astros are 0-4 in their last 4 overall.
- Astros are 0-6 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Astros are 0-4 in their last 4 games on grass.
- Astros are 0-8 in their last 8 home games.
- Astros are 0-6 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Astros are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Astros are 9-3 in Verlander’s last 12 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Astros are 11-5 in Verlander’s last 16 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Astros are 23-11 in Verlander’s last 34 starts on grass.
- Astros are 2-6 in Verlander’s last 8 home starts.
- Under is 6-0-1 in Rockies last 7 vs. American League West.
- Under is 4-1 in Rockies last 5 on grass.
- Under is 4-1 in Rockies last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1 in Rockies last 5 overall.
- Under is 22-6-3 in Rockies last 31 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 7-2-1 in Rockies last 10 interleague road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 13-4-2 in Rockies last 19 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 3-1-2 in Rockies last 6 games following an off day.
- Under is 8-3-1 in Rockies last 12 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Over is 8-3 in Rockies last 11 road games.
- Under is 16-6-5 in Rockies last 27 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 8-3 in Rockies last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 5-2-2 in Rockies last 9 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 22-9-2 in Rockies last 33 Tuesday games.
- Under is 7-3 in Rockies last 10 games following a win.
- Under is 9-4-2 in Rockies last 15 interleague road games.
- Under is 31-15-6 in Rockies last 52 interleague games.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Marquez’s last 5 interleague starts.
- Under is 5-1 in Marquez’s last 6 Tuesday starts.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Marquez’s last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.
- Under is 17-6 in Marquez’s last 23 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 20-9-2 in Marquez’s last 31 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 7-0 in Astros last 7 games following a loss.
- Under is 4-0 in Astros last 4 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Astros last 5 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 6-1 in Astros last 7 on grass.
- Under is 6-1 in Astros last 7 overall.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Astros last 7 Tuesday games.
- Under is 5-1 in Astros last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1 in Astros last 5 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Astros last 5 interleague home games.
- Under is 19-6-2 in Astros last 27 vs. National League West.
- Under is 15-5-1 in Astros last 21 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 20-7-2 in Astros last 29 interleague games.
- Under is 26-10-3 in Astros last 39 interleague games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Astros last 8 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Under is 15-6-1 in Astros last 22 interleague home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 9-4 in Astros last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 9-4 in Astros last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 11-5-3 in Astros last 19 games following an off day.
- Under is 36-17-2 in Astros last 55 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 4-0 in Verlander’s last 4 interleague starts.
- Over is 4-0 in Verlander’s last 4 home starts.
- Under is 4-0 in Verlander’s last 4 starts vs. National League West.
- Under is 8-3 in Verlander’s last 11 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2 in Verlander’s last 7 Tuesday starts.
- Under is 7-3-1 in Verlander’s last 11 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Over is 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings.
- Rockies are 11-28 in the last 39 meetings in Houston.
- Rockies are 1-7 in the last 8 meetings.
