ALCS best bets: Keep your eye on the ball ... and this Game 3 SGP

Our Philadelphia Phillies rolled the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the NLCS, and now we get to shift our focus back to the ALCS on Wednesday night. With a win in Game 3, the Texas Rangers would take a commanding 3-0 series lead over the Houston Astros and inch one step closer to their first World Series appearance since 2011. 

With no NFL or major college football scheduled for Wednesday night, we know you'll be locked in on Game 3 just like us. So, let's spice up the ALCS with a juicy Same Game Parlay and try to hit big.

ALCS Game 3 Same Game Parlay

Leg 1: Astros moneyline

In a must-win game to avoid falling down 0-3 in the ALCS, we're trusting the best playoff team in MLB over the last seven years. Starting pitcher Cristian Javier has been lights out in his postseason career with a 1.91 ERA in 15 career appearances, and he hasn't given up a single earned run in his last 16.1 innings in the playoffs. 

Leg 2: Yordan Alvarez to record an RBI

If the Astros are going to have any chance of winning Game 3 on the road, Alvarez will need to show up and show out. The Houston slugger already has six home runs and eight RBIs over the team's first six playoff games, and he's batting .571 against Max Scherzer in his career. 

Leg 3: Cristian Javier 4+ strikeouts

Remember when we said Javier hasn't given up a postseason run in his last 16.1 innings pitched? Yeah, he's 3-0 over that span with 23 strikeouts and only two hits allowed. Javier also recorded four strikeouts in his lone start against the Rangers this season despite giving up eight earned runs in the game. He should have a much better performance on Wednesday night.

Leg 4: Max Scherzer under 4.5 strikeouts

This would normally be an impossibly low number for Scherzer, but it's actually too high considering he hasn't pitched since Sept. 12. Scherzer's outs-recorded prop is set at just 12.5, so oddsmakers are expecting him to last no more than four innings in his return to the mound. Take the under against a red-hot Rangers lineup.

Put it all together and we've got a +714 Same Game Parlay (on FanDuel) for Game 3 of the ALCS. Let's cash!

In the news ...

Phillies rout Diamondbacks in Game 2 to take 2-0 NLCS lead — The Citizens Bank Park magic refuses to fade for the Phillies. Philadelphia defeated the Diamondbacks, 10-0, in Game 2 of the NLCS to take a 2-0 series lead and improve to 6-0 on its home field in the playoffs. Kyle Schwarber smacked two home runs in the game, Trea Turner added a bomb of his own and Aaron Nola was spectacular once again with seven strikeouts and only three hits allowed in six shutout innings. The Phillies are now the favorites to win the World Series at +110 odds.

Trevor Lawrence is "optimistic" he'll suit up on "Thursday Night Football" — Lawrence suffered a knee sprain in the Jacksonville Jaguars' Week 6 win against the Indianapolis Colts, but he may still be able to play on a short week. "I'm going to do everything I can to be out there," Lawrence told reporters after practicing in a limited fashion Tuesday. "I feel a lot better today than I would have thought so I like how I'm progressing." The Jaguars opened as three-point road underdogs against the New Orleans Saints on "TNF," but the spread is now down to +1.5.

Las Vegas Aces look to repeat as WNBA champions — After the Aces took a 2-0 lead in the WNBA Finals, the New York Liberty staved off elimination with an 87-73 victory in Game 3. The Aces can close out the best-of-five series and secure their second straight championship with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night, but they'll have to do so as 5.5-point road underdogs. 

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jack Dougherty