Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Sunday’s World Series Game 5.

The Houston Astros win 7-1 and now lead the best-of-seven series with the Washington Nationals, 3-2.

Cole struck out nine over seven innings, allowing one run, three hits and two walks.

Cole earned 32.2 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, first among all players and first among American League pitchers. It is also the fourth-highest single-season point total since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995.

It is also the fourth time this postseason Cole has earned Player of the Game honors, most of any player. He also won Player of the Game honors in three of his four previous postseason starts—in the AL Division Series Game 2 win over the Rays on Oct. 5, in the Game 5 win on Oct. 10 and in the AL Championship Series Game 3 win over the Yankees on Oct. 15. He also appeared in the World Series Game 1 loss to the Nationals on Oct. 22.

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who is scheduled to start Game 6 Tuesday, has three Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors this postseason, now second-most among all players.

Leftfielder Yordan Alvarez had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Astros batters of +4.0 (HR 3-3 2R 2BI).

Nationals starting pitcher Joe Ross had a Box-Toppers game score of -9.0 (5IP 5H 4R 2BB K L).

The series resumes with Game 6 Tuesday in Houston.

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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Top Astros in World Series Game 5: Astros 7, Nationals 1
Here are the Box-Toppers game scores (BTG) of all Astros who played in World Series Game 5, listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score. Player of the Game (POG) is Gerrit Cole.






  
    10/27
    BTG
    Player
    AB
    R
    H
    BI
    
    IP
    H
    R
    ER
    BB
    K
  

    POG
    +9.0
    Gerrit Cole (W, 4‑1)
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    
    7.0
    3
    1
    1
    2
    9
  

    
    +4.0
    Yordano Alvarez LF
    3
    2
    3
    2
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    +3.0
    George Springer CF‑RF
    3
    2
    2
    2
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    +2.0
    Ryan Pressly
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    
    1.0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    1
  

    
    +1.0
    Joe Smith
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    
    1.0
    1
    0
    0
    0
    1
  

    
    0.0
    Yuli Gurriel 1B
    4
    1
    2
    1
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    0.0
    Carlos Correa SS
    4
    1
    1
    2
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    0.0
    Joe Smith P
    0
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    0.0
    Ryan Pressly P
    0
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑1.0
    Martin Maldonado C
    3
    1
    1
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑1.0
    Jake Marisnick PR‑CF
    1
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑1.0
    Kyle Tucker PH
    1
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑3.0
    Michael Brantley RF‑LF
    3
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑3.0
    Gerrit Cole P
    3
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑4.0
    Jose Altuve 2B
    5
    0
    1
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  

    
    ‑4.0
    Alex Bregman 3B
    4
    0
    0
    0
    
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
    ‑
  
BTG—Box-Toppers game score

POG—Player of the Game