The Atlanta Braves are one win away from their first World Series championship since 1995. The Braves came back to beat the Houston Astros in Game 4 on Saturday, and they will look to clinch the title Sunday night at Truist Park. A Game 5 win would make the Braves the first team to celebrate a World Series championship at their home stadium since the 2013 Boston Red Sox.
The Astros, meanwhile, will look to stay alive and send the series back to Minute Maid Park in Houston. Here’s how you can watch Sunday night’s game.
How to watch
Date: Sunday, Oct. 31 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park (Atlanta, Georgia)
TV: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Odds: TBA (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Starting pitchers: LHP Framber Valdez (11-6, 3.14 ERA) vs. LHP Tucker Davidson (0-0, 3.60 ERA)
Preview
To send the World Series back to Houston, the Astros will need a better outing from Valdez, who gave up five runs in two innings in Game 1 earlier in the series. Valdez admitted he was a little amped up for that game, his first career World Series appearance, so perhaps those jitters are out of the way. Either way, expect a quick hook with the club’s season on the line.
The Braves are giving the ball to Davidson, who replaced Charlie Morton on the roster after Morton broke his leg in Game 1. Davidson made four MLB starts and four Triple-A starts this season before going down with an elbow injury in June. He returned in time to make a three-inning Triple-A rehab start on Oct. 3, so while he could give the club more than one inning, he is not fully stretched out either. Fellow lefty Drew Smyly is available to chew up multiple innings in relief behind Davidson.
Prediction
As weak as the offense has looked most of the World Series, I won’t count the Astros out just yet. Valdez will be better than he was in Game 1, Yordan Alvarez will be the hero offensively, and the Astros will force a Game 6 in Houston on Tuesday.
Pick: Astros 6, Braves 4
