ALCS Schedule 2017: Astros vs. Yankees Game Times, Odds and Prediction

We now officially have a series.

After waking up offensively in Games 3 and 4, the New York Yankees are full of life as they look to force an elimination game in the American League Championship Series. As for the Houston Astros, a familiar problem has undone the impressive two-game lead they earned to start the series, and it could end up sinking their season.

Two more games are guaranteed, but it seems likely that one team is going to need to steal a road game in order to win the ALCS. Want to catch the action? Check out the upcoming schedule, as well as the latest odds after, courtesy of OddsShark.com.

Latest World Series Odds

Astros: 9/4

Yankees: 7/2

Game 5

When: Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. ET

Television: FS1

Game 6

When: Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. ET

Television: FS1

Game 7*

When: Saturday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET

Television: FS1

Game 5 Preview

Perhaps no two pitchers are throwing as well this postseason as Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander, and the pair were instrumental in earning the Astros two wins to open up this series. Now, Houston's weaknesses are beginning to show up.

Rotation depth and a poor bullpen helped down the Astros in Games 3 and 4. Charlie Morton was tattooed for seven earned runs in just 3.2 innings as Will Harris came on in relief to surrender a three-run homer to the slumping Aaron Judge and allowed an earned run himself in the Game 3 defeat. 

Lance McCullers Jr. turned in perhaps his best start in months as he iced the Yankees for one hit in six innings before conceding a solo shot to Judge. Yet, the relief party of Chris Devenski, Ken Giles and Joe Musgrove combined to allow six hits and five runs to squander Houston's four-run lead in Game 4. 

In fact, only Keuchel and Verlander have registered wins for Houston this postseason, combining for just five earned runs in 30.1 innings. As for the rest of the Astros, they have combined for a porous 29 runs conceded in 38.1 innings. The bullpen was not much better throughout the regular season, finishing 17th in MLB with a 4.27 ERA. 

Keuchel is set to start Game 5, which is the bright side for Houston. He blanked the Yankees for just four hits and no runs over seven innings in Game 1, but he has only gone at least seven innings four times since May 2. This means the Astros will have to again turn to their shaky bullpen at some point, which forced MLB Network's Robert Flores to joke that Keuchel may need to stay in the game as long as possible:

Masahiro Tanaka is up again for this deep rotation, and he has also been sensational in the postseason. He's allowed just seven hits and two walks in a pair of starts, going 13 innings in that time. Tanaka should be fine, but unlike Keuchel, he has a dominant bullpen supporting him that should have Chad Green, Tommy Kahnle and possibly Aroldis Chapman available in Game 4.

That Yankees' pitching prowess has been able to limit an explosive Astros offense to just nine runs in four games—a far cry from the 24 they scored in four ALDS games to go with their MLB-best 896 runs in the regular season. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa are the only two Astros hitting above .231 who have played in all three games, with stars like George Springer, .071 average, being the main culprits for the scoring lag.

Springer understands Houston needs more offensively, but he still feels his team can overcome and grind out enough wins, per Matt Ehalt of NorthJersey.com.

"I would be surprised, but [when] you’re facing a staff like that and bullpen like that, it’s hard to score," said Springer after Game 3. "Those guys are good over there and it's going to be a battle this whole series. We’re not going to come out and score eight runs every game. We’re going to have to fight."

Houston needs to rebound quickly, as the Yankees have been an unstoppable force at home in 2017. With the AL's best home mark of 51-30 during the regular season, New York is using Yankee Stadium to help fuel its playoff run, and history has been kind to the team when doing so, per ESPN:

With that in mind, Game 5 truly feels like a toss-up.

Keuchel should be his excellent self, but he cannot afford any mistakes given the mediocrity of his bullpen and the energy that an error would give the Yankee Stadium crowd. Tanaka and the bullpen should also be fine, but can New York provide enough run support?

The past two games have shown that the most likely scenario is Keuchel going six or seven innings, maybe giving up a run, before New York scores late. The Yankees do not have nearly the same amount of risk associated with them due their pitching depth, so they look to be a safer bet to take Game 5, especially at home.

Still, the Astros have another Verlander start left, and he is much more likely to give them extended starting length to avoid the bullpen. Look for this series to eventually go seven games, but Houston's chances are slim unless they can find a gem outing from a third starter.

Statistics are courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.