Kelvin Herrera struck out two in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless middle relief as the Kansas City Royals won Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, eliminating the Toronto Blue Jays.
Herrera earns Player of the Day honors in the 4-3 win, as the Royals win the best-of-seven game series, 4-2.
Herrera entered the game in the sixth inning as the Royals led 2-1 and held the lead through the seventh inning, giving up no hits and no walks. He did not pick up a win or a save. Herrera had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.2, highest among all Royals players.
Previously, I incorrectly tweeted that closing pitcher Wade Davis was Box-Toppers Player of the Game. Davis (1.2IP H 0R BB 3K W) had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.2. But in the heat of the moment following the game, I overlooked Herrera, who had a higher Box-Toppers game score than the pitcher who won or saved the game and had the same (or more) innings pitched.
To earn Player of the Game honors, Box-Toppers rules say a pitcher must have at least three innings pitched or pick up the win or the save and if they do none of those, they must have a higher Box-Toppers game score as the pitcher who otherwise earned Player of the Game honors and have the same or more innings pitched. That’s how Herrera beat out Davis Friday.
Had Herrera pitched only 1 1/3 innings, he would have had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.1, still higher than Davis’s +2.2. But in that case, Davis would have been Player of the Game because he picked up the win and because Herrera, while having a higher Box-Toppers game score, would not have had as many or more innings pitched than Davis.
During the regular season, Herrera had no Box-Toppers points—he did not earn Player of the Game honors once during the regular season. He earned 2.0 points each in both 2013 and 2014 with the Royals.
Mike Moustakas had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Royals batters, +1.0. Moustakas homered and went 2-for-4, scoring twice and driving in a run.
Royals starting pitcher Yordano Ventura, who exited the game with the lead, had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.1 (5.1IP 4H R 5K). He picked up a no decision because the Blue Jays tied the game in the eighth inning after he exited.
Blue Jays starting pitcher David Price, ranked fifth among all players in Box-Toppers points during the regular season with 21.1, had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.2 (6.2IP 5H 3K 8K ND).
The Royals and the Blue Jays were the top two AL teams in Box-Toppers team rankings. With 127.5 Box-Toppers points in 2015, the Royals ranked second among all teams (behind only the Pittsburgh Pirates) and first among AL teams. The Blue Jays ranked fifth among all teams, second among AL teams, with 124.1.
The Royals return to the World Series for the second straight year and will face the National League champion New York Mets beginning Tuesday in Kansas City.
See Box-Toppers ALCS series preview with player-by-player match ups.
About Box-Toppers—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 in ALCS Game 6
| 10/23 | Score | Team | Players | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| POG | 3.2 | Royals | Kelvin Herrera (H,3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |