Freddie Freeman of the Braves and Joey Wendle of the Rays are Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in Tuesday’s two league championship series games.
National League Championship Series Game 2: Braves 8, Dodgers 7
Freeman homered and went 2-for-4, scoring twice and driving in three runs.
Freeman had a Box-Toppers game score Tuesday of +3.0. Braves starting pitcher Ian Anderson also had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0 (4IP H 0R 5BB 5K ND), but in cases of game score ties between batters and pitchers, batters receive the advantage, giving Freeman Player of the Game honors. Braves middle reliever Tyler Matzek had a game score of +1.0 (2IP H 0R BB K W) and closer Mark Melancon had a game score of -1.9 (0.1IP H R 0BB 0K Sv).
Freeman earned 3.5 Box-Toppers points in 2020, eighth among NL batters. Since the start of the 2019 season, Freeman ranks second among NL batters with 13.7 Box-Toppers points, behind only teammate Marcell Ozuna (16.5).
Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (HR 2B 2-4 2R 4BI) actually had the game’s highest Box-Toppers game score (+4.0) but since his team lost, he did not earn Player of the Game honors. Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin had a Box-Toppers game score of -4.9 (4.1IP 2H 5R 3BB 7K L).
The Braves take a 2-0 lead over the Dodgers in the best-of-seven game series, which resumes Wednesday in Arlington, Texas.
American League Championship Series Game 2: Rays 5, Astros 2
Wendle went 2-for-4, scoring once and driving in two runs.
Wendle had a Box-Toppers game score of +1.0. Two Rays pitchers also had game scores of +1.0, but in cases of game score ties with pitchers, batters have the advantage, making Wendle Player of the Game. Starter Ryan Yarbrough (5IP 3H 2R 2BB 5K W) and closer Diego Castillo (1IP 0H 0R 2BB 2K Sv) both had +1.0 game scores.
Astros starting pitcher Jose Urquidy had a Box-Toppers game score Tuesday of +1.0 (5IP 4H 2R ER BB 4K L).
Wendle earned 3.0 Box-Toppers points in 2020, 19th among AL batters.
The Rays take a 3-0 lead over the Astros in the best-of-seven game series, which resumes Wednesday in San Diego.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +3.0 | ATL 8, LAD 7 | Freddie Freeman 1B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | |
| +1.0 | TB 5, HOU 2 | Joey Wendle 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
AL—Overall American League Player of the Day, worth 1.7 total Box-Toppers points.
NL—Overall National League Player of the Day, worth 1.7 total Box-Toppers points.
BAT—Top AL or NL Batter of the Day, worth 1.5 total Box-Toppers points.
All other players listed here earn Player of the Game honors, worth 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
` Pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Coming Wednesday:
NL Championship Series Game 3: Braves lead Dodgers, 2-0
The pitching matchup Wednesday:
Dodgers—Julio Urias, 1.0 Box-Toppers point, 315th among all players, 73rd among NL pitchers.
Urias is one of five players who have earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors twice in the 2020 postseason. He was Player of the Game in the NL Wild Card Game 1 win over the Brewers on Sept. 30 and in the NL Division Series Game 3 win over the Padres on Oct. 8. This is his third 2020 postseason appearance.
Braves—Kyle Wright, 1.0 Box-Toppers point, 496th among all players, 126th among NL pitchers.
Wright was Player of the Game Oct. 8 in his only 2020 postseason appearance, the NL Division Series Game 3 win over the Marlins.
Box-Toppers preview of the NLCS from Oct. 12.
AL Championship Series Game 4: Rays lead Astros, 3-0
The pitching matchup Wednesday:
Rays—Tyler Glasnow, 8.0 Box-Toppers points, eighth among all players, fourth among AL pitchers.
Glasnow has earned Player of the Game honors once in three previous 2020 postseason appearances—Sept. 30 in the 8-2 AL Wild Card Game 2 win over the Blue Jays. He also appeared in the AL Division Series Game 2 and Game 5 wins over the Yankees on Oct. 6 and Oct. 9.
Astros—Zack Greinke, 2.0 Box-Toppers points, 150th among all players, 45th among AL pitchers.
Greinke has not earned Player of the Game honors in either of two previous 2020 postseason appearances—Sept. 29 in the AL Wild Card Game 1 win over the Twins and Oct. 8 in the AL Division Series Game 4 win over the Athletics.
Box-Toppers preview of the ALCS from Oct. 11.
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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