The Daily Sweat: The Astros go for their third ALCS win in a row over the Rangers
Can the Astros take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship Series?
The Texas Rangers jumped to a 2-0 lead with two road wins to begin the ALCS. Houston responded with two road wins of its own and evened the series 2-2 with a 10-3 win Thursday.
Texas hopes to stop Houston’s run with Jordan Montgomery on the mound. Montgomery has made three postseason starts and didn't allow a run in two of them. That includes allowing no runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Rangers’ 2-0 win in ALCS Game 1.
Justin Verlander started that game for the Astros and gave up both runs. The first came on a single in the second inning, and then Leody Taveras hit a homer in the fifth. Verlander allowed six hits and two walks in 6 2/3 innings.
The two teams finished tied atop the AL West during the regular season — the Astros won the division on a tiebreaker — and that combined with the tied series makes for no favorite on Friday. Both teams are at -110 to win the game straight-up.
If you want to play the run line, the Rangers are -175 to keep the game within 1.5 runs. The Astros are +145 to win by two or more runs.
Arizona looks to tie series
The Diamondbacks are slight underdogs in Game 4 as they look to even the National League Championship Series.
Arizona scored a walk-off 2-1 win Thursday on Ketel Marte’s single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. The game was scoreless until the seventh, when each team logged a run.
Lefty reliever Joe Mantiply is starting Friday for the Diamondbacks as Arizona is going with an opener. Mantiply struggled in Game 2 as the Phillies won 10-0. He got just one out and allowed three runs on three hits and two walks.
Mantiply won’t give way to a predetermined pitcher, either. Game 4 is going to be a bullpen game for the Diamondbacks, as they plan to bring back Zac Gallen on full rest for a Game 5 that’s now guaranteed.
The Phillies are countering with Cristopher Sanchez in his first postseason appearance. Sanchez threw 99 1/3 innings in 2023 and struck out 96 with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.047 WHIP.
The run total for the game sits at 9.5, though the under is juiced at -115. The Diamondbacks +1.5 runs are -160, and the Phillies giving 1.5 runs are at +135. After Houston evened the ALCS Thursday with its second straight win, perhaps Arizona can do the same.
SMU a big favorite at Temple
SMU should get an easy win at Temple in the only major college football game of the night.
The Mustangs are 21-point favorites against an Owls team that’s 2-5 and 0-3 in the AAC. Temple is one of three winless teams in conference play and the only AAC team that’s 0-3 entering Week 8.
SMU is 4-2 overall and tied for the conference lead with three other teams. The Mustangs average nearly 158 yards rushing per game and could gash a Temple defense that allows more than 200 yards on the ground. The Owls are one of just nine teams at the top level of college football allowing more than 200 yards rushing per game.
Three TDs is asking a lot of a road favorite on a Friday night, but it’s hard to go against SMU. Temple enters the game on a four-game losing streak and has allowed at least 41 points in each of those defeats.
Zozo Championship is halfway through
Beau Hossler is +333 to win the Zozo Championship in Japan after he shot a 5-under 65 in the second round Friday. Hossler is a shot ahead of Justin Suh and two shots ahead of Satoshi Kodaira.
Xander Schauffele is the No. 2 favorite at +400. He’s three shots back of Hossler in a four-way tie for fourth. Suh is +750 to win, while Collin Morikawa is +1000. He’s at 3-under and four shots back of the lead.
Who cashed tickets Thursday?
The Jaguars made it interesting but ultimately won outright over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday. Jacksonville led 24-9 after a pick-six but gave up 15 straight points to the Saints before a TD to Christian Kirk with three minutes to go put the Jags back up for good.
