Preview and prediction for Game 3 of the World Series

As you can imagine, the Houston Astros believe they should be up by two games in the World Series. And maybe they feel as if they wasted a start by Justin Verlander, who will likely win his third American League Cy Young Award. Things didn't wok out that way, but they're in pretty good shape right now, even if they have to go to a difficult place like Citizens Bank Park in an effort to forge ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Game 3 was postponed due to rain, and that changed matters as far as the pitching rotation in concerned. BetOnline patrons can see Tuesday's rescheduled Game 3 at 8 PM ET on Fox.

The Phillies, who won 87 games this season and actually finished in third place in the National League East, behind the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, have ripped through five postseason games at home, winning all five, hitting twelve homers and averaging seven runs a game. So there are no cakewalks in store for the Astros, who blew a 5-0 lead to lose Game 1 and managed to hold onto their 5-0 lead in Game 2, riding a very nice outing from Framber Valdez and getting three hits from Jose Altuve and a homer from Alex Bregman.

Lance McCullers, who was slated to go on Monday, remains the starting pitcher for the Astros, while Noah Syndergaard has been replaced by Ranger Suarez on the mound for the Phillies.

In the World Series odds on Game 3, as they have been posted by the people at BetOnline.ag, the Astros are the favorites:

Houston Astros (McCullers)     -123
Philadelphia Phillies (Suarez) +113

Over 8 Runs -102
Under 8 Runs -118

Phillies +1.5 Runs -160
Astros -1.5 Runs +140

The rainout changed the pitching rotation for the Phillies. manager Rob Thompson took the opportunity to move Syndergaard back to Game 5, as Aaron Nola will start Game 4.

Thompson turns to Ranger Suarez in Game 3, and he will likely start Game 7 if the series gets to that point. Suarez was last year, in a relief role and as a spot starter, with a 1.36 ERA, 1.00 WHIP ratio and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. This year, the numbers weren't as good; Suarez was 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.333 WHIP.

McCullers was limited to eight starts this season; last year he dealt with a forearm injury, and he suffered a right flexor tendon strain this season. But he has been mighty good when healthy; he's got a 2.27 ERA and he allowed two runs or less in each of his previous seven starts before a rough outing in the ALCS against the Yankees as he gave up four runs (three earned) and eight hits in five innings.

Suarez has made four appearances in the postseason, two of which were in a starting role. In Game 1 against Atlanta, he lasted 3-1/3 innings and issued five walks and a home run. He went five innings in Game 3 against San Diego, yielding a run and two hits.

Suarez is a southpaw, and the Astros have been very good against left-handers. They posted a 42-12 record against southpaw starters, and when you look at their splits they are consistently better against lefties. with an on-base percentage 23 points higher and a slugging percentage of .451, compared with .410 against right-handed starters.

For a team to be laying as price on the road against Philly, you have to have caught an advantage from a positive split. But that's not going to last, as Thompson would most probably switch Suarez out of the game and insert a right-hander.

So we're going to look at things from the standpoint of a first five-inning prop. The money line is similar, but the total is four runs at -120 on the OVER. And considering the way the Astros got off to fast starts against Philadelphia's top two pitchers, maybe that's our way to go.

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