The 88-win Atlanta Braves continue to defy the experts as they knocked off the favored Houston Astros on the road in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night and look for a 2-0 lead Wednesday as short underdogs before the series takes a day off ahead of shifting to Atlanta.

Nitrobetting is here to deliver the latest Major League Baseball news and coverage from the 2021 MLB playoffs and beyond. This time, let’s take a look at the crucial matchup between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the 2021 World Series. Be on top of all the developments by tuning in to the MLB odds, previews, and predictions for all the exciting postseason baseball action ahead.

Braves vs. Astros 2021 World Series Game 2 Information

• When: Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 8:09 PM ET
• Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
• TV: FOX, FOX-INT
• Radio: 680 The Fan(Braves) // 790AM KBME (Astros)
• Live Stream: MLB.tv
• MLB Odds: Braves (+101) / Astros (-110)

READ MORE: Braves vs. Astros 2021 World Series Game 6 Odds, Preview, and Prediction

Why bet on the Atlanta Braves?

History was made in Game 1 as Atlanta’s Jorge Soler – who missed the entire NLCS on the COVID list – homered to lead off the game, the first-ever leadoff homer to start a World Series on the way to a 6-2 win. Soler later had an RBI fielder’s choice and reached on a check-swing infield single and should be at leadoff again tonight. Adam Duvall hit a two-run home run in the third inning, which knocked Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez out of the game.

Eddie Rosario had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 11 games, dating back to Game 1 of the NLDS. All Braves starters notched at least one hit, becoming the first team to have all nine starting players deliver at least one hit in a World Series game since the Royals in Game 6 of the 2014 Fall Classic.

The news wasn’t all good for Atlanta as ace pitcher Charlie Morton suffered a broken leg in Game 1 and obviously is done for this series. Morton took a 102-mph comebacker off his right fibula in the second inning yet still faced three more batters and retired all of them before leaving.

Thus, Atlanta’s bullpen could be a bit thin in Game 2. AJ Minter was the first to relieve Morton and threw 43 pitches, more than he ever had in his career, and came within an out of completing three innings for only the second time. He became the first of three relievers — before Luke Jackson and Tyler Matzek — who limited the Astros to two runs in 5⅔ innings, with closer Will Smith coming on in the ninth with a four-run lead.

The winner of the first game of the World Series has gone on to win the Fall Classic 63 percent of the time including 15 of the past 18. In 21 of the last 35 World Series beginning in 1985, the winner of Game 1 of the World Series has also won Game 2. The road team has won the first two games of the World Series 14 times – and went on to win 11 times.

Why bet on the Houston Astros?

Houston will need more from Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa as they went a combined 0-for-12 with one walk in the opener. The Astros are now 0-4 all-time in Game 1 of the World Series. They lost Game 1 in 2017 and went on to win the series.

The Astros will start Jose Urquidy in Game 2. The right-hander was 8-3 with a 3.62 ERA in the regular season. He was awful in his ALCS Game 3 start vs. Boston, lasting just 1 2/3 innings and allowing six runs. Urquidy does have plenty of big game experience. He started Game 4 of the 2019 World Series, shutting out the Nationals for five innings in an 8-1 Astros win. No Astros starting pitcher gives up more fly balls than Urquidy, who only gets ground balls from 31.7 percent of the batters he faces.

It’s lefty Max Fried for Atlanta. He was one of the NL’s best pitchers in the second half of the regular season and finished 14-7 with a 3.04 ERA. However, his last outing wasn’t good, either, as Fried allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings in the NLCS Game 5 loss to the Dodgers. He missed the corners and left too many pitches over the middle, and his inability to control the moment cost him.

Fried did throw six scoreless innings against the Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Division Series in Milwaukee, and threw another solid six in the Braves’ victory against the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series. Overall, Fried is 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA in 16 2/3 innings this postseason.

Braves vs. Astros MLB Betting Trends

• Braves are 5-0 in the last 5 during game 2 of a series.
• Braves are 4-0 in the last 4 interleague road games.
• The total went over in 4 of Atlanta’s last 6 games.
• Astros are 5-1 in the last 6 games following a loss.
• Astros are 5-1 in the last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
• The total went over in 8 of Houston’s last 10 games.

Braves vs. Astros Series Betting Prediction

Pick: Astros 5, Braves 4

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