The Philadelphia Phillies are two wins away from the third World Series title in franchise history after blasting five home runs en route to a Game 3 win on Tuesday. They now hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Fightin' Phillies are a perfect 6-0 at Citizens Bank Park this postseason, have outscored their opponents 42-15 in the six games, and outhomered them 17-6. Game 4 and 5 will be played in Philadelphia and two more wins put the Phillies on top of the baseball world. Philadelphia won the franchise's two titles in 1980 and 2009.
You can view the full postseason schedule by clicking here, and here's the 2022 playoff bracket. Now, let's get to the important stuff for Game 4.
How to watch
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 2 | Time: 8:03 p.m. ET
Location: Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
TV channel: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Odds: HOU -115; PHI -105 | 7.5 o/u (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Starting pitchers: RHP Aaron Nola (11-13, 3.25 ERA) vs. RHP Cristian Javier (11-9, 2.54 ERA)
Preview
Thanks to Monday's rainout, the Phillies can bring Nola, their Game 1 starter, back on normal rest in Game 4. Nola allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings last time around, but the offense bailed him out and the Phillies got the win. The Astros opted not to bring Game 1 starter Justin Verlander back in Game 4, choosing instead to give the 39-year-old an extra day of rest this late in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. Javier was excellent all season and in the ALCS, but he's not Verlander. The Astros had the option to go with their best in Game 4 and declined. That decision will be second-guessed if they fall into a 3-1 series hole.
Prediction
The Phillies are sitting pretty. The Game 3 win was decisive, so much so that top relievers José Alvarado and Seranthony Domínguez got the night off and will be well rested heading into Game 4. I refuse to believe the Astros will go quietly though, so I'm going to say they eke out a win in Game 4 to knot the series up and turn this into a best-of-three.
Pick: Astros 5, Phillies 3
