Friday October 18 Best Sports Betting Picks for MLB Playoffs, WNBA Finals

The Cleveland Guardians escaped their closer’s ineptitude and smashed two dramatic home runs that will be forever remembered on the lakefront. 

And now the Guardians have a chance to even up the American League Championship Series at 2 when they host the New York Yankees on Friday night.

Cleveland has momentum. 

And so do the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League. The Dodgers mauled the New York Mets 10-2 to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Mets might not be dead, but it’s not looking good after being outscored 18-2 in two NLCS home games.

Another New York team could be celebrating. The Liberty hold a 2-1 lead over the Minnesota Lynx in the best-of-five WNBA Finals. The Liberty won in dramatic fashion Wednesday to set up the clinching attempt.

Let’s break down these three postseason games.

New York Yankees at Cleveland Guardians

The Yankees were just six outs away from taking a 3-0 series lead after Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, and Giancarlo Stanton followed with a go-ahead blast off Guardians close Emmanuel Clase, who has served up three homers in the postseason after allowing just two in the regular season. The devastating turn of events gave New York a 4-3 eighth-inning lead.

The Guardians trailed by two in the bottom of the ninth and were one out away from a painful setback before David Fry drilled a tying two-run, pitch-hit homer. One inning later, pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel—nicknamed “Big Christmas”—drilled  a ball so far to left that it seemingly landed in Lake Erie while giving Cleveland a classic postseason victory.

It counts as just one loss for the Yankees, but it feels like a bit more with Games 4 and 5 also in Cleveland. Judge going deep could be a good sign — he is 4-for-23 with two homers in the postseason — and he also has one regular season blast off scheduled Guardians starter Gavin Williams (3-10, 4.86 ERA in the regular season). Stanton has smacked three blasts during his strong postseason. 

Fry has delivered two huge blasts as an unlikely postseason hero. Brayan Rocchio has a regular-season homer off New York’s Luis Gil (15-7, 3.50), who is making his first start of the postseason, similar to Williams.

Guardians moneyline, -102 (DraftKings)

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets

The Mets have been pummeled by a cumulative 27-2 in their three losses in the series while hardly displaying any fight. New York will need an unforeseen awakening Friday.

Los Angeles turns to Jack Flaherty, and he blanked the Mets on two hits in seven innings in Game 1. The Dodgers held Freddie Freeman (ankle) out of Game 4 and probably could be rested again.

Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani each hit their third homer of the postseason on Thursday, with Betts going 4-for-6 with three runs and four RBIs. Max Muncy reached base four times to stretch his streak to 12 straight times before striking out in his last at-bat.

David Peterson is being asked to save the New York season. He’s making his first start of the postseason after four relief appearances. Mark Vientos hit his fourth homer of the postseason, but the entire lineup needs to step up after going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position in Game 4.

Dodgers -1.5 run line, +124 (DraftKings)

New York Liberty at Minnesota Lynx

The Liberty attempt to wrap up the first WNBA title in franchise history after winning Game 3 in dramatic fashion. Sabrina Ionescu put up a last-second, 28-foot, 3-pointer that sailed through the net for an 80-77 victory.

New York overcame a 15-point deficit on Minnesota’s home court. In Game 2, the script was reversed as the Lynx rallied from 18 down to stun the Liberty in overtime, so no lead is safe in this series. 

Breanna Stewart had 30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots in Game 3 for New York. Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier had 22 points, nine rebounds and five steals. 

The Lynx will look for Kayla McBride (five treys in Game 3) and hope Courtney Williams rebounds from a 4-of-14 showing. It will certainly be another close game at the end.

Lynx +2.5 spread, -110 (DraftKings)