Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura, who allowed one run in seven innings in the American League Division Series Game 2 win over the Angels, is Friday’s Player of the Day.
Ventura, who also struck out five and walked one, did not earn the win in the 4-1, 11-inning win, because he exited the game with the score tied, 1-1. Ventura had the highest Box-Toppers game score of any Royals player of +4, which was also enough to earn Player of the Day honors in a day of four league division series playoff games.
During the regular season, Ventura had 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranking 75th among all players, 33rd among AL pitchers.
The Royals now lead the Angels in the best-of-five series, 2-0. The Angels are first in Box-Toppers team rankings with 124.2 Box-Toppers points. The Royals are 10th with 101.1. The Royals can sweep the series in Game 3 Sunday in Kansas City.
In Friday’s other games:
NLDS Game 1: Giants 3, Nationals 2
Giants pitcher Jake Peavy, who pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the win over the Nationals is Player of the Game in the National League Division Series Game 1.
Peavy, who led the Giants to a 3-2 win, had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.2.
During the regular season, Peavy had 5.7 Box-Toppers points, ranking 165th among all players and 58th among NL pitchers.
Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg, who was 10th among all players in Box-Toppers player rankings during the regular season, picked up the loss. Strasburg gave up eight hits and two runs over five innings, striking out two. His Box-Toppers game score was -5. Strasburg had 16.7 Box-Toppers points during the regular season.
The Giants now lead the Nationals in the best-of-five series, 1-0.
NLDS Game 1: Cardinals 10, Dodgers 9
Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals, who homered, doubled and drove in four runs, is Player of the Game in the Cardinals 10-9 NL Division Series Game 1 win over the Dodgers.
Carpenter also went 2-for-5 and scored twice and had the Cardinals’ high Box-Toppers game score of +3.
During the regular season, Carpenter had 2.0 Box-Toppers points, ranking 407th among all players, 96th among NL batters.
In a game that was billed as a matchup of two pitching aces—Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals and Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers—both pitchers had to make early, ignominious exits:
• Wainwright (18.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth) gave up 11 hits and six runs over 4 1/3 innings, striking out five and had a Box-Toppers game score of −14.9. Wainwright earned no decision because the Cardinals later came back to take the lead and win.
• Kershaw (31.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked first) gave up eight runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and picking up the loss. He had a Box-Toppers game score of −7.8.
The Cardinals now lead the Dodgers in the best-of-five series, 1-0.
ALDS Game 2: Orioles 7, Tigers 6
Delmon Young of the Orioles, who hit a pinch-hit, go-ahead three-run double is Player of the Game in the AL Division Series Game 2.
Young’s eighth-inning hit put the Orioles ahead in the game they won 7-6. He had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.
During the regular season, Young had 5.5 Box-Toppers points, ranking 178th among all players and 31st among AL batters.
The Orioles now lead the Tigers in the best-of-five series, 2-0. The series resumes Sunday in Detroit.
Coming Saturday:
National League Division Series Game 2, Giants lead Nationals, 1-0
The pitching matchup Saturday:
Giants: Tim Hudson, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 71st among all players, 34th among NL pitchers.
Nationals: Jordan Zimmermann, 15.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 16th among all players, seventh among NL pitchers.
National League Division Series Game 2, Cardinals lead Dodgers, 1-0
The pitching matchup Saturday:
Cardinals: Lance Lynn, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 48th among all players, 22nd among NL pitchers.
Dodgers: Zack Greinke, 16.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked 11th among all players, sixth 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
| 1003 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POG | 4.0 | `Royals | Yordano Ventura | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| POG | 3.2 | Giants | Jake Peavy (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| POG | 3.0 | Cardinals | Matt Carpenter 3B | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| POG | 3.0 | Orioles | Delmon Young PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.