Madison Bumgarner pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the Giants to a Game 1 National League Championship Series win over the Cardinals and earning Box-Toppers.com Player of the Day honors for Saturday.
Bumgarner struck out seven and allowed four hits in the 3-0 win as the Giants take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven game series. Bumgarner had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Giants player of +9.2.
During the regular season, Bumgarner had 22.6 Box-Toppers points, ranked third among all players, second among NL pitchers.
Bumgarner is the first player to earn Player of the Game honors for a second time during this postseason. He was also Player of the Day on Oct. 1 in the Giants’ NL Wild Card win over the Pirates.
Bumgarner outdueled Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, who picked up the loss. Wainwright gave up three runs (two earned) and six hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out two. He had a Box-Toppers game score of −7.8. During the regular season, Wainwright had 18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth among all players, fourth among NL pitchers.
ALCS Game 2: Royals 6, Orioles 4
Lorenzo Cain went 4-for-5 to earn Player of the Game honors Saturday in the Royals win over the Orioles in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series.
Cain also doubled, scored twice and drove in a run in the 6-4 win. He had the Royals’ high Box-Toppers game score of +2.
During the regular season, Cain had 2.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 421st among all players and 107th among AL batters.
The Royals take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven game series. Game 3 is Monday in Kansas City.
Coming Sunday:
NLCS Game 2, Giants lead Cardinals, 1-0
The pitching matchup Sunday:
Giants: Jake Peavy, 5.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 165th among all players, 58th among NL pitchers.
Cardinals: Lance Lynn, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 48th among all players, 22nd among NL pitchers.
Box-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. In regular season games, players earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day.
Top player from each game
Players of the Game (POG) listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 1011 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POG | 9.2 | Giants | Madison Bumgarner (W, 2-1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | |
| POG | 2.0 | Royals | Lorenzo Cain CF, RF | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |