Top Rated 10* MLB *AFTERNOON APOCALYPSE*
(MLB) LA Angels vs. Houston,
Money Line: -140.00 Houston (Home)
Result: Win
Play: Houston Astros
Rating: 10*

The Houston Astros are red hot, entering Wednesday as winners of four straight and six of their past seven. They'll be looking to complete the sweep of a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels, and I expect an easy win for the home team at Minute Maid Park today.

Lance McCullers (3-2, 4.24 ERA) will take the ball for Houston. The Astros have lost each of his last two turns, but McCullers certainly did his job in the last outing giving up just two runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Reds. He's 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in four home starts on the year, fanning 32 hitters through 24 2/3 innings of work. McCullers has a .220 batting average against versus the current Halos and he's 1-1 with an ERA of 2.52 and a WHIP of 1.00 in four career starts against them.

Matt Shoemaker (3-7, 4.50 ERA) will take the ball for Los Angeles. The 29 year old right-hander has conceded just two runs through 14 innings in his last two starts and seven earned runs in his last four turns, but I think the Astros can light him up today. Shoemaker has posted an ERA of 3.70 and a WHIP of 1.15 in previous meetings but has a .263 batting average against versus the current members. Jose Altuve has been particularly successful going 5-for-12 with a double and a homer off Shoemaker.

Angels are 2-6 in their last eight road games and 1-4 in Shoemaker's last five road starts. Astros are 7-1 in their last eight home games vs. a team with a losing road record and 6-1 in their last seven during Game 3 of a series.