TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION FRIDAY, AUGUST 4TH
#913 HOUSTON with Brown (-154) over New York with Severino at 7:05 PM EST
In a bad mood off last night’s 4-3 road loss to the Bronx Bombers, the ‘Stros will get back on track with a solid showing in the Big Apple on Friday night. Houston is sitting 1.5-games back in the AL West right now and manager Dusty Baker’s crew needs road wins in order to stay in the hunt.
Young right-hander Hunter Brown will toe the rubber for the visitors. Lined up against the Devil Rays, Athletics, and Rockies in his last three starts, No. 58 was nicked for eight earned runs and 16 hits in 17.1 innings. Hunter fanned 15 and issued four free passes on his way to a 1-1 tally with a 4.15 ERA. Equally impressive, as a guest, Brown has been bumped for just 26 earned runs and 59 hits in 63.0 frames. After the math, that shakes down to an elite 4-3 mark with a reliable 3.71 ERA.
On the hill for the Pinstripes will be righty Luis Severino. Since the start of July, No. 40 has made five starts versus the O’s, Royals, Halos, Baltimore (again), and Cardinals and was crushed for 27 earned runs and 43 hits in only 21.2 innings of work. Luis struck out 18 and walked nine on his way to a 1-3 tally with a woeful 11.22 ERA. Additionally, at night, Severino has struggled surrendering 32 earned runs and 49 hits in 25.2 frames. That’s bad enough for a pitiful 0-4 record with a ridiculous 11.22 ERA.
On a technical note, Houston has won 26 of its last 37 as a guest rolling on Friday’s, 87 of its last 141 on foreign soil, and 81 of its last 128 fighting a foe that holds a team won/loss percentage greater than .500. On the other side of the park, New York has dropped 13 of its last 16 when competing on Friday.
The Astros have some work to do in the division and they’ll have no trouble bouncing back against the Yankees weakest arm. Take Houston with Brown. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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