Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros: Game 6 Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 11/02/2021

Game time: 8:09 p.m. ET

Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX

Where to watch: FOX

DraftKings: Astros -125, Braves +105

BetMGM: Astros -120, Braves +100

Caesars: Astros -121, Braves +110

Credit where credit is due. The Houston Astros are not like most teams. That Game 5 rally was well-earned and the series is going back to Minute Maid Park.

Despite a first-inning grand slam from Adam Duvall, the Astros didn’t falter. They slowly chipped away despite trailing twice, and that effort was rewarded with a 9-5 win over the Atlanta Braves to force a Game 6 in the Fall Classic on Tuesday.

There will be postseason baseball in November. Go ahead and get excited.

"These guys are together," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "They've been through many of these battles, so they don't know how to quit, and they're always looking for an edge or an opening. Fortunately, tonight, we took advantage of some."

Destiny was bound to have us believe the Braves were winning on this night, that they were about to celebrate a World Series title for the first time in 26 years. Duvall hit that opposite-field grand slam to right and things just seemed right. Framber Valdez went only 2.2 innings and gave up both home runs before the Houston bullpen was called upon.

Even when the Astros responded with two runs in the second and two more in the third, Freddie Freeman’s 460-foot blast in the bottom of the third to give them a 5-4 lead seemed like it was only a matter of time.

But the Astros brought home three more in the top of the fifth to take the lead, a lead they would not vanquish the rest of the way.

That aforementioned Astros bullpen combined for four hits in 6.1 innings, their own dominant showing that rivaled Atlanta’s in Game 4.

I think Houston fans have been waiting for the big names to show up when needed, and they did so with their backs against the wall. Carlos Correa drove in two runs during a 3-for-5 night; Yuli Gurriel also chipped in going 3-for-5 while bringing in a run.

"We were down 3-0 last year [to the Rays in the American League Championship Series], we forced a Game 7," Correa said. "Now we [were] down 3-1, why can't we force a Game 7 again?"

The difference maker on this night was Martin Maldonado batting in the eighth spot. He only went 1-for-3, but he drove in three runs, each in crucial settings; a sacrifice fly in the top of the second to add some cushion after Atlanta’s hot start; walking in the tying run in the top of the fifth to complete the rally; and his first hit since Oct. 3 in the top of the seventh to give Houston a three-run lead.

Houston erupted for 12 hits in by far its best showing of offense since the series shifted to Atlanta.

The Braves just ran out of gas. They went trick-or-treating and got all the treats in the beginning, but after two hours of wandering the same neighborhood it became a giant trick. Atlanta’s offense has relied heavily on the long ball the last two games, and it appeared to finally catch up to them in Game 5.

Tucker Davidson got the start for Game 5 but gave up four runs in two innings while walking three.

“We knew [consecutive bullpen games] was gonna be tough,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It's just a lot of innings to cover against a club like this, that swings the bat so well. The good news is we'll take a day off and be in good shape.”

Austin Riley went 3-for-4, but didn’t drive in any runs. Travis d’Arnaud also went 2-for-4 with no RBI. The Braves only totaled three more hits from three other players; Duvall’s grand slam, Freeman’s solo shot, and a base hit from Jorge Soler.

Dansby Swanson went 0-for-4 after hitting the game-tying homer on Saturday night, and Ozzie Albies went 0-for-4 while striking out twice.

The books have not determined an underdog in this series, and with it going back to Houston, it’s hard to think that Houston has the advantage. The Braves are still one win away from winning the whole thing, and one better performance can still end it.

The Braves have one day to correct their strategy and start putting the ball in play. Atlanta is going back to a starter with Max Fried on the mound, but no starter yet for the Astros at the time of publishing. Who knows if the October magic has run out now that the calendar has turned? This is going to be a tough game to predict, but unless Atlanta goes back to its top of the rotation, I have this sense Houston is forcing a Game 7. The home crowd, coupled with the situational baseball, is going to extend this to one more game. The playoffs are not for the weak of heart. The Braves are about to put that to the test. Astros win 7-5

The Braves are 44-31 this season following a loss.

The Braves are 20-12 this season when Fried starts.

The Astros are 64-40 following a win this season.

Eddie Rosario (L) LF

Freddie Freeman (L) 1B

Ozzie Albies (S) 2B

Austin Riley (R) 3B

Jorge Soler (R) DH

Joc Pederson (L) RF

Adam Duvall (R) CF

Travis d'Arnaud (R) C

Dansby Swanson (R) SS

Jose Altuve (R) 2B

Michael Brantley (L) LF

Alex Bregman (R) 3B

Yordan Alvarez (L) DH

Carlos Correa (R) SS

Kyle Tucker (L) RF

Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B

Jose Siri (R) CF

Martin Maldonado (R) C

Probable starting pitchers: Max Fried (ATL) vs. TBD (HOU)