Baseball-Astros juggernaut faces underdog Phillies in World Series

(Reuters) - The powerhouse Astros enter Game One of the 118th World Series on Friday in Houston as heavy favorites to capture their second championship in six years but standing in their way is a red-hot Philadelphia team that continues to defy the odds.

The defending American League champion Astros capped their 106-win season by sweeping both the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees and could become the first team to go undefeated in the postseason since the wild-card era began in 1995.

It is difficult to find any weaknesses in this Houston team.

Their starting pitching boasts nine-time All-Star Justin Verlander and dynamic left-hander Framber Valdez, the likely starters for games one and two.

Their bullpen is stacked, allowing veteran manager Dusty Baker to get the match-ups he wants before handing the ball to closer Ryan Pressly, who converted his 15th consecutive save to close out the Yankees in Game Four of the American League Division Series.

Their lineup is dangerous from top to bottom, starting with the speedy Jose Altuve, who seems primed to break out of his current slump, slugger Yordan Alvarez and reliable third baseman Alex Bregman.

The Astros are also playing with a chip on their shoulder after an MLB investigation found that the team had illegally used technology to steal opposing teams' signs during their 2017 championship season. The signs revealed which types of pitches were coming next to Astros batters.

The scandal tarnished their title and made the franchise widely reviled outside of Houston, something they are reminded of every road game.

"The scorn that we take - this team is mentally strong," Baker told ESPN.

"Sometimes when you go through adversity, it makes you stronger."

But there is