Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros Game 6: Prediction, Odds, Preview For 2019 World Series

The Houston Astros can end the 2019 World Series and claim their second championship in three years by winning Game 6 Tuesday night. It’s not a position they seemed likely to be in just a few days ago.

The Washington Nationals took what appeared to be a commanding 2-0 series lead before heading home for Game 3. The NL champs didn’t win a single game in their own ballpark, scoring exactly one run in each loss.

With three straight victories and a Cy Young candidate on the mound at home, Houston is favored to close out the Fall Classic in Game 6. The Astros have -173 betting odds and the Nationals are +163 underdogs, according to OddsShark.

The Game 6 over/under is 7.5.

It’s a rematch from Game 2, which also took place in Houston. Stephen Strasburg got the start and the win for Washington, surrendering two runs in six innings. Justin Verlander was beaten for the third time this postseason, charged with four earned runs in six innings of work.

Exploding for six runs in the seventh inning, the Nationals beat the Astros 12-3. It was Washington’s last win of the series.

Strasburg hasn’t had one bad outing this October. The right-hander has a 1.93 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 28 playoff innings. He’s gone at least six innings in all four of his starts.

In 47 career postseason innings, Strasburg has a 1.34 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP.

Verlander has looked human in the 2019 MLB playoffs. It isn’t just the Nationals that got to the future Hall of Famer. Verlander gave up four runs in starts against the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays.

Including his final start of the regular season, Verlander has surrendered eight home runs in his last 36.1 innings pitched.

The Astros’ offense had been scuffling a bit until breaking out for 19 runs in Games 3-5. The Nationals could hit much better in Houston, where they totaled 17 runs in the first two games of the series.

The road team has won every contest in this year’s World Series. It would only be fitting for that streak to continue in order to force a do-or-die Game 7.

Prediction: Washington over Houston, 5-2