World Series 2017: Astros vs. Dodgers Pitching Outlook and Predictions

The Houston Astros are preparing for Game 6 Tuesday night and a chance to win the first World Series championship in their 56-year history.

Meanwhile, after losing 4-0 and 7-4 leads in Game 5, the Los Angeles Dodgers go home with the task of having to win Games 6 and 7 to earn their first title since 1988.

The Astros will have to accomplish their goal at Dodger Stadium, and while winning on the road will not be easy, they come in off the high of their 13-12, 10-inning victory in Game 5. The Astros' power bats keyed the triumph as Yuli Gurriel, Jose Altuve, George Springer, Carlos Correa and Brian McCann all hit home runs and Alex Bregman won the game with a two-out single in the bottom of the 10th.

Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig hit home runs for the Dodgers, but the Dodgers' bullpen could not hold down Houston's offense.

The Astros will send Justin Verlander to the mound Tuesday night for the crucial game, while Rich Hill will pitch for the Dodgers.

Verlander is the pitching story of the postseason with a 4-0 record, a 2.05 earned-run average, a 0.88 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.

Hill has also been effective for the Dodgers, even if he does not have a decision to his credit at this point in the postseason. He has a 2.77 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and 19 strikeouts in 13.0 innings of work.

After their come-from-behind victory in Game 5, the Astros come into the potentially decisive game with a sense of confidence, as evidenced by Springer's remarks to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.

"It's not an easy place to play," about the Dodgers' home venue, "but we're giving the ball to Justin Verlander, and that's going to be awesome for us."

Puig's two-run homer in the ninth inning pulled his team within one run of the Astros, and they eventually tied it up on Chris Taylor's two-out RBI single. Puig knows his team has a tough assignment in Game 6 with the hard-throwing Verlander on the mound, but he is pledging that the Dodgers will find a way to survive that game.

"This is not going to be finished Tuesday," Puig said. "There's going to be a Game 7. ... Everybody is going to be ready for Verlander [on] Tuesday night. The best pitcher they have."

Since both Verlander and Hill have pitched well in the postseason, there appears to be a very good chance this game won't turn into the scoring fest that took place Sunday night. However, once either team gets into the other's bullpen, it appears no script can be approved without being sent to rewrite.

There's a sneaking suspicion Houston manager A.J. Hinch will let Verlander go as far as he can because he has been so effective. Verlander pitched a complete game against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, and he has not pitched fewer than 6.0 innings in any of his other postseason starts this year.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

It doesn't seem likely Roberts could follow a similar script with Hill, since he has not pitched more than 5.0 innings in any of his postseason starts.

The Dodgers were minus-120 favorites in Game 6 when the oddsmakers came out with the line following the conclusion of Game 5. However, the presence of Verlander has changed the minds of the sports books. OddsShark lists the Astros as minus-112 favorites (wager $112 to win $100) to win Game 6 while the Dodgers are plus-102 underdogs (wager $100 to win $102).

Prediction

The Astros are in an excellent position to win their first World Series crown as they have momentum and the postseason's best pitcher in Verlander. 

If the Astros can solve Hill, they are capable of giving Verlander a lead he can take deep into the game. However, the Dodgers have been a championship-level team all season, and they are not going to cower just because Verlander is on the mound. They should find a way to push the Houston ace to the limit.

While it may not seem logical, we don't see the Dodgers losing in six games. This is destined to be a seven-game classic, and the Dodgers will find some way to even the series with a Game 6 victory.