Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros Game 2: Prediction, Betting Odds, Starting Pitchers For ALCS

David Price looks to shake off his poor postseason record when the Boston Red Sox host the Houston Astros on Sunday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. The pressure will be on Price to keep the Red Sox in contention to reach the World Series after dropping Game 1 on Saturday, 7-2, with ace Chris Sale on the mound.

Price, a five-time All-Star and a former Cy Young winner, has a 0-9 record and a 6.03 ERA in 10 postseason starts. Overall, the veteran lefty has a 5.28 ERA and a 2-9 record over 75 postseason innings.

"I did expect to make more starts for us in this year's playoffs," Price said Saturday. "[Manager Alex Cora] told me before we even got off the field that night. So for him to tell me before we even took our jerseys off to put on our postseason shirts that we get when we win, that was special."

Price had a solid 2018 season, finishing with a 16-7 record and a 3.58 ERA over 176 innings.

"David Price has done what he has done in his career because he is David Price," catcher Sandy Leon told ESPN's Marly Rivera. "He was our best pitcher in the second half of the season. And I like what Alex Cora is doing, giving him the confidence to start a postseason game again. I believe he can do a good job and turn this series around."

In August, Price had a 2.10 ERA and he had a 3.42 ERA in September. On Sept. 7, in his only appearance against the Astros at Fenway Park, Price allowed just two earned runs off two hits while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings.

What could be cause for concern is Price's last outing, when he faced the New York Yankees on Oct. 6. Cora pulled Price from the mound in the second inning after the 33-year-old allowed solo home runs to Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez. Overall, Price allowed three earned runs over 1 2/3 innings.

Price will go up against Gerrit Cole, who posted a similar stat line to Price on Sept. 7 at Fenway. Cole allowed five hits and two earned runs over six innings.

The 28-year-old is coming off one of his best regular seasons, having gone 15-5 with a 2.88 ERA.

Cole had a 3.03 ERA in September. In his lone starter in the AL Division Series, Cole allowed just one run over seven innings against the Cleveland Indians.

Cole may receive a tougher test on Sunday. Mookie Betts is 5-for-8 and J.D. Martinez is 3-for-10 against the right-hander. The Red Sox will be looking for more production from Andrew Benintendi and Brock Holt, who both struck out three times and went hitless in four at-bats.

While Cole has been effective, so has the Astros' bullpen. In Game 1, Ryan Pressly, Lance McCullers and Collin McHugh combined to throw three shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five, in relief of starter Justin Verlander.

According to Westgate Superbook, the Astros are favored at -135, while the Red Sox are the underdogs at +125. The over/under is 8.0 runs.

Prediction: Red Sox over Astros, 4-3