DAT 10/18: ALCS Game 3 Astros (Urquidy) at Red Sox (Rodriguez) | 7:08 CT (FS1)

After a split of 2 games in Houston, the Astros are in Boston for the next 3 games of the ALCS. Houston hasn't had a starting pitcher make it past the 5th inning since Game 1 of the ALDS, yet the Astros have won 3 of those 5 games.

The pitching matchup is a rematch of the 11-2 Astros win in Houston on Memorial Day in the first meeting of the season between these two teams. Jose Urquidy will make his first appearance in more than 2 weeks since going 6 innings in the regular-season finale against Oakland on Oct. 3. Eduardo Rodriguez pitched 5 solid innings in his last outing, an ALDS Game 4 start against Tampa Bay. Here is a closer look at some 2021 numbers for both pitchers:

Jose Urquidy (8-3, 3.62 ERA, 0.99 WHIP regular season; 1st 2021 postseason appearance)
May 31 vs. Boston (11-2 Houston), W, 6IP, 1ER, 3H, 1BB, 9K

Eduardo Rodriguez (13-8, 4.74, 1.39 regular season; 2021 Postseason: 0-1, 6 2/3 IP, 5.40 ERA, 1.05)
May 31 at Houston (2-11 Houston), L, 4 2/3IP, 6ER, 7H, 2BB, 4K
June 10 vs. Houston (12-8 Boston), ND, 4 2/3IP, 6ER, 6H, 3BB, 5K

With no roof at Fenway, the elements could be a factor tonight. First-pitch temp is expected to be around 53 under mostly clear skies, but the big factor might be the northwesterly wind at 12 miles an hour. But the Astros have been outstanding on the road in the playoffs since the 2019 ALCS. Houston has won 8 of its last 10 true road games in the postseason, including a 2-game sweep in Minnesota last year while excluding neutral-site games in California against Oakland and Tampa Bay (the Astros were 6-5 in those games).

The Astros took all 3 games in Washington in the 2019 World Series. A repeat of that in Boston would end the series so let's kick-start that tonight.

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