Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio is Saturday's Player of the Day, while Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright rises to second place in Box-Toppers player rankings on the penultimate (and next-to-last) day of the season.
Nicasio pitched 5 1/3 shutout innings and struck out seven in the 1-0 win over the Dodgers. The Rockies spoiled Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke's chance of scoring 20.0 Box-Toppers points for the season. Greinke, who started the game and pitched well (6IP 1R 7K), picked up the loss, earned no Box-Toppers points and ends his season with 19.4 points, falling from second to third place in player rankings.
Wainwright, meanwhile, passes Greinke in Box-Toppers player rankings, rising from third to second (see the updated top 10 list on the home page). Wainwright (5.1IP 0R 5K in 6-2 win vs. Cubs) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Game, giving him 20.2 for the season. He and Box-Toppers points leader, Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, are the only two players with 20.0 Box-Toppers points this season (in 2012, there were three). This is Wainwright's highest season total in Box-Toppers points, passing 2010, when he scored 19.7.
Indians pitcher Scott Kazmir is American League Player of the Day. Kazmir struck out 11 over six innings in the 5-1 win over the Twins. Kazmir earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points for being AL Player of the Day, giving him 12.8 for the season and putting him in 29th place in Box-Toppers player rankings.
Brad Miller of the Mariners is AL Batter of the Day. Miller hit two homers, including a grand slam in the 7-5 win over the Athletics.
Marlon Byrd of the Pirates is National League Batter of the Day. Byrd homered and went 3-for-4 in the 8-3 win over the Reds.
Notables: Rangers pitcher Dan Haren rises to 52nd place in Box-Toppers rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Saturday. Haren (7IP 0R W in 7-4 win vs. Angels) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 10.4 for the season.
Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte earned Player of the Game honors in his final career start. Pettitte (CG 1R W in 2-1 win vs. Astros) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 4.0 for the season, but giving him 138.5 for his career since 1995 (when Box-Toppers record keeping began), putting him in 19th place on the all-time (since 1995) list.
Nicasio receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Kazmir receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Miller and Byrd each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Saturday's other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Top player from each game
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 928 | Score | Team | BATTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | - | - | PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 8.1 | Rockies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Juan Nicasio (W, 9-9) | 5.1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 7.1 | Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Adam Wainwright (W, 19-9) | 5.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |||
| 7.0 | Nationals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Dan Haren (W, 10-14) | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |||
| AL | 7.0 | Indians | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Scott Kazmir (W, 10-9) | 6.0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 | ||
| BAT | 5.0 | Mariners | Brad Miller SS | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 5.0 | Yankees | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Andy Pettitte (W, 11-11) | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |||
| 3.1 | Blue Jays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | J.A. Happ (W, 5-7) | 7.1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 3.1 | Orioles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kevin Gausman (W, 3-5) | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||
| 3.1 | `Marlins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | A.J. Ramos | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||
| BAT | 3.0 | Pirates | Marlon Byrd RF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 3.0 | `Brewers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jimmy Nelson | 5.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 3.0 | Phillies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Luis Garcia (W, 1-1) | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |||
| 2.0 | Padres | Reymond Fuentes CF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2.0 | `Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Robbie Ross (H, 14) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 1.0 | White Sox | Marcus Semien SS, 3B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.