Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes and Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves are Sunday’s Box-Toppers top players in a pair of National League Division Series games.
NLDS Game 3: Brewers 6, Rockies 0
Burnes struck out two over two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and no walks, as the Brewers sweep the Rockies, 3-0, in the best-of-five game series.
Burnes had 3.0 Box-Toppers points in 2018, 346th among all players, 106th among NL pitchers and 13th among NL middle relief pitchers.
Wade Miley started the game for the Brewers and exited with the lead but did not earn the win because he did not pitch the requisite five innings (4.2IP 3H 0R 0BB 0K ND). Burnes, who pitched the seventh and eighth innings in relief, was awarded the win on a scorekeeper’s judgment.
And it was only that judgment in receiving the win that made him eligible to earn Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors. Pitchers must either earn the win or save or pitch at least three innings to be considered for Player of the Game. Because Burnes earned the win and had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Brewers (+4.0), he won Player of the Game.
Had the win been awarded to any other relief pitcher, Miley, the starter, would have been Player of the Game because he pitched at least three innings and had the next-highest Box-Toppers game score among Brewers’ pitchers Sunday (+2.2).
Keon Broxton (HR 1-1 R BI) had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Brewers batters (+2.0).
The Brewers face the winner of the other NL Division Series (Dodgers or Braves) in the NL Championship Series beginning Friday in Milwaukee.
The Rockies rank 13th in Box-Toppers team rankings (106.0 Box-Toppers points), while the Brewers rank third (132.4 points). The Rockies are the lowest-ranked postseason team (ranking below three non-postseason teams) while the Brewers are the top NL team.
NLDS Game 3: Braves 6, Dodgers 5
Acuna hit a grand slam, going 1-for-3, scoring once and driving in four runs, earning Player of the Game honors.
Acuna had 9.2 Box-Toppers points in 2018, fourth among NL batters.
Acuna had the highest Box-Toppers game score (+3.0) among Braves players Sunday. Arodys Vizcaino, who closed the game, had the highest Box-Toppers game score (+2.0) among Braves pitchers (1IP H 0R BB 3K Sv).
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler had a Box-Toppers game score of -3.0 (5IP 2H 5R 3BB 7K ND).
The Dodgers lead the best-of-five game series, 2-1, which resumes Monday in Atlanta.
Top player from each game
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (BTG)| BTG | Game | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| +4.0 | MIL 6, COL 0 | Corbin Burnes (W, 1‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| +3.0 | ATL 6, LAD 5 | Ronald Acuna LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
Coming Monday: The league Division Series playoffs resume:
AL Division Series, Game 3: Astros lead Indians, 2-0
The pitching matchup Monday:
Astros—Dallas Keuchel, 6.7 Box-Toppers points, 117th among all players, 42nd among AL pitchers.
Indians—Mike Clevinger, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, 21st among all players, 14th among AL pitchers.
NL Division Series, Game 4: Dodgers lead Braves, 2-1
The pitching matchup Monday:
Dodgers—Rich Hill, 9.7 Box-Toppers points, 53rd among all players, 27th among NL pitchers.
Braves—Mike Foltynewicz, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, 22nd among all players, eighth among NL pitchers.
AL Division Series, Game 3: Red Sox at Yankees, series tied, 1-1
The pitching matchup Monday:
Red Sox—Nathan Eovaldi, 8.7 Box-Toppers points, 66th among all players, 29th among AL pitchers.
Yankees—Luis Severino, 17.7 Box-Toppers points, 10th among all players, eighth among AL pitchers.
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.
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