Tim Warner/Getty ImagesThe World Series champion Houston Astros will try to continue their recent success at Fenway Park on Saturday http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-joey-rickard-jersey , when they visit the Boston Red Sox as small road underdogs at sportsbooks for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.The Astros have won six of their past nine games against the Red Sox at Fenway, according to the OddsShark MLB Database, and knocked them out of last year's playoffs with a 5-4 victory in Game 4 there. Boston will be out to avenge that defeat. MLB betting line: The Red Sox opened as -110 favorites (wager $110 to win $100); the total is at seven runs, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. Line updates and matchup report.MLB betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 5.5-2.1, Astros.MLB picks on every game.Check out the OddsShark podcast on iTunes or Spotify or at OddsShark.libsyn.com for more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week's top sports betting news.Why the Astros Can Pay on the MLB LinesHouston may be a slight underdog in Game 1 but is favored to win the series as an even better team statistically than last year. The Astros won two more games during the regular season this year than last and four more on the road, where they led MLB with an outstanding 57-24 mark.In fact Pedro Alvarez Jersey , Houston's road record was better than every other team's in baseball at home except that of Boston, which went 57-24 at Fenway. The Astros will send Justin Verlander (16-9, 2.52 ERA) to the mound in the series opener, and he earned three-quarters of his wins away from home in 2018, going 12-2 with a 2.14 ERA.Why the Red Sox Can Pay on the MLB LinesThe Red Sox will count on ace Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11 ERA) to come through for them in this crucial spot, and he picked up a victory in Game 1 of the AL Division Series versus the New York Yankees after allowing two runs and five hits in 5.1 innings with two walks and eight strikeouts.Sale let his team down in last year's ALDS matchup and will be out to redeem himself here, and Boston's bats have improved since then http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-beckham-jersey , with the two league MVP favorites in Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez. While Betts is expected to win MVP honors, Martinez has been much better in the playoffs with a .357 batting average, one home run and six RBI in the four-game series win over New York. Smart Betting PickMartinez may make the difference for the Red Sox this time around, as he has hit well against most of Houston's pitchers over the course of his career, including Verlander (2-for-3 with two RBI). That said, this is a must-win matchup for the Red Sox鈥攁nd especially Sale. If they lose Game 1, they will be big dogs to win the series. That will not happen.MLB Betting TrendsThe total has gone over in five of Houston's past six games when playing Boston.Boston is 4-1 in its past five games.The total has gone over in seven of Boston's past nine games. All MLB odds and betting trends according to Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. Check out OddsShark on Twitter and Instagram or head to YouTube for more betting picks and analysis on this week's top games. You can also download the free odds tracker app. HOUSTON — After the news broke that Astros third baseman Alex Bregman had accomplished something never previously done by a player at his position Anthony Santander Jersey , someone somewhere suggested he’d receive the Barry Bonds treatment when he came to the plate in high-leverage situations.During the Astros’ interleague series victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bregman appeared to experience that cautious approach, producing a .538 on-base percentage despite recording only one base hit: an infield single that ricocheted off Diamondbacks reliever Silvino Bracho in the sixth inning on Saturday. Bregman finished 1-for-7 in the series yet drew five walks, two intentional, and was hit by a pitch in his final plate appearance of the weekend.“At his best, he walks even in the middle of his hot streaks,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of Bregman, who is the first third baseman to record 30 home runs and 50 doubles in a season. “I do think people are pitching him pretty carefully and we’re seeing that probably a little more.”Article continues below ...The Astros (94-55) are 7-0-1 over their last eight series and 12-2 this month. They will host the Seattle Mariners for a three-game series starting on Monday at Minute Maid Park.The winner of the set will claim the season series http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-brad-brach-jersey , which is knotted at 8-8. Houston won the season series against the four other American League West teams en route to the 2017 World Series and has clinched the season series against its three division rivals excluding Seattle already this season.Rookie left-hander Framber Valdez (3-1, 2.66 ERA) will make his fifth career start and sixth appearance on Monday against the Mariners. He made his debut in Seattle on Aug. 21, allowing one unearned run on two hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 4 1/3 relief innings, earning the victory in the Astros’ 3-2 win at Safeco Field. Over four subsequent starts, Valdez has surrendered seven runs on 14 hits and 13 walks with 14 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings.Left-hander Wade LeBlanc (8-4, 3.56 ERA) will start the series opener for the Mariners. He has worked a career-high 146 2/3 innings over 29 appearances (24 starts) and is 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA over his last four starts. LeBlanc has faced the Astros five times (including three starts) this season, going 1-1 with an 8.31 ERA. He is 1-1 with a 6.32 ERA over nine career appearances (five starts) against the Astros.The Mariners (82-67) are expecting both left-hander James Paxton and right-hander Felix Hernandez to rejoin the rotation at some point during their current 10-game road trip. Paxton, who last pitched on Sept. 7 against the New York Yankees Colby Rasmus Jersey , has been sidelined by pneumonia. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session upon his return prior to making his 27th start.Hernandez has been hampered by right hamstring soreness that caused him to exit his start against the Yankees on Sept. 8 after allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks over four innings. He threw over the weekend in Seattle and could rejoin the rotation in time to pitch in Houston.Hernandez made a start against the Astros on Aug. 20, his first following a brief demotion to the bullpen and first career relief appearance. He did not factor into the decision in that 7-4 home win after allowing four runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings.