The series we’ve all been waiting for continues on! The Braves now have a stranglehold on the series, after winning Game One, Three and Four. The Braves won the first game, 6-2, then the Astros hit back instantly, winning the second game, 7-2. In Game Three, it was a low scoring affair that saw the Braves get over the line, 2-0, and in Game Four, the Braves narrowly got across the line, 3-2. Looking at the outright World Series winner, the Braves are the clear favorites, at -410, with the Astros the underdogs, at +330.
Look below to find our free MLB picks for tonight’s World Series Game Five between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves!
Houston Astros @ Atlanta Braves (Game 5) – 8.15pm EDT
The Braves have their first chance to win the World Series in Game Five, and seeing though this is their only chance while playing at home, they will want to take full advantage of it. It was a close affair in the fourth game, with the final scoreline 3-2. Can the Astros get back to their winning ways and drag this series out to at least six games, or will the Braves be crowned champions in front of a home crowd?
Katherine Mouradian
A low scoring, nail biting affair that had a couple of lead changes, but ultimately the Braves dug deep and got the win, meaning they are just one win away from World Series glory. The Braves will certainly be looking to achieve this in Game Five, as this is the last game they will be playing at home. If the Astros can win Game Five and stretch the series out, the final two games will be played back in Houston.
It’s do or die for the Astros, and they will be looking for starting pitcher, Valdez, to get redemption from his performance, which resulted in a loss, against the Braves in Game One of the World Series. In that Game One, the Braves scored five runs in just two innings. Valdez will be relying on the fact he had a good record season, with a nice 3.14 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, to help achieve an 11-6 record. The Astros offense hasn’t been around for the last two games, and this is a major factor for their losses. They will need to show their fans why they were the number one offense in the league throughout the regular season.
Greinke got the job done tonight.
4.0 IP // 0 ER // 3 K // 1-for-2 pic.twitter.com/XqRJjtlgVK
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 31, 2021
Although the Braves will have a few bites of the cherry, they will be especially motivated to win the World Series in front of their home fans. If the Braves can’t win Game Five, the next two games will be played in Houston. It’s been pretty much all about the pitching for the Braves throughout the series, and they have been on point. Keeping the best offensive team in the league down for a game is extremely hard to do, and they’ve done it three times! As of writing we still don’t know who the starting pitcher will be, but the Braves have a lot to choose from.
I want to see the fairytale finish of the Braves winning the World Series in front of a home crowd. At this point, I think the Astros are crumbling under the pressure and simply don’t have any answers. The Braves have shown they can dismantle the very best on the way to the World Series, i.e. the 2020 World Series champions, the Dodgers, were beaten with relative ease, so I see no reason why they can’t do it again in Game Five.
Katherine’s MLB Pick: Atlanta Braves (-102)
Mike Su
The Braves have done it and beat the Astros in Game 4 of the series. They are now within 1 win from the World Series and have been a pleasant surprise throughout the playoffs. I admittedly wrote them off early but they have proven me wrong every step of the way. The Braves have slayed some of the best teams in the league en route to their current 3-1 lead, and now have to try to win Game 5 of the World Series. The Braves made a valiant comeback after trailing 0-2 at the top of the 6th innings. From there the Braves discord 3 runs in the 6th and 7th innings while withholding the Astros’ attack leading to a 3-2 victory. The Braves have all the momentum now going into Game 5.
You can find me in the 🅰️@LieutenantDans7 | #BattleATL pic.twitter.com/h74n9D2PLN
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 31, 2021
The Astros will be trying to redeem themselves at home after losing 2 in a row, as well as choking a 2 run lead. In this crucial Game 5, the Astros will be starting Framber Valdez. Valdez was good during the regular season with a great 3.14 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 11-6 record. Valdez was also able to pull out 3 wins in the playoffs, including a masterclass against the Red Sox in Game 5 of the series where he pitched 8 innings and allowed just 3 hits and 1 run. However, despite his strong regular season and postseason form, Valdez played poorly in his first game against the Braves. The Braves scored a staggering 5 runs and had 8 hits in just 2 innings of pitching by Valdez. A repeat of this effort would be the end of the season for the Astros. The Astros need a good pitching night from Valdez to pull out a win here.
The Braves on the other hand need to focus on their scoring to win. Very rarely against the Astros can you win scoring just 3 runs and the Braves need to up the ante to finish off the Astros. I think that they can do it and that is why I’m sticking with the Braves to win the World Series in Game Five.
Mike’s MLB Pick: Atlanta Braves (-102)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
