Astros pitcher Framber Valdez and Eddie Rosario of the Braves are Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in Wednesday’s two league championship series games.
American League Championship Series Game 5: Astros 9, Red Sox 1
Valdez struck out five over eight innings, allowing one run, three hits and one walk, as the Astros take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven game series.
Valdez had a Box-Toppers game score of +7.0, best among all Astros players. Astros top batter was Yordan Alvarez with a game score of +3.0 (HR 2B 3-5 2R 3BI).
Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale had a game score of +1.1 in the loss (5.1IP 3H 4R 2ER 2BB 7K L), faring better than he did in his two previous postseason starts, in which he pitched a combined 3 2/3 innings. Red Sox top batter was Rafael Devers with a game score of +1.0 (HR 2-3 R BI).
Valdez earned 5.0 Box-Toppers points in the 2021 regular season, 175th among all players, 58th among AL pitchers. This was his first Player of the Game honor in his third 2021 postseason appearance.
The series resumes with Game 6 Friday in Houston.
National League Championship Series Game 4: Braves 9, Dodgers 2
Rosario hit two home runs—including a three-run shot—and tripled, going 4-for-5, scoring three times and driving in four runs.
The Braves take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven game series.
Rosario had a Box-Toppers game score of +6.0, best among Braves players. Braves starting pitcher Jesse Chavez had a game score of +1.0 (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K ND).
Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias had a game score of -12.0 (5IP 8H 5R 2BB 3K L). Urias has earned Player of the Game honors twice in the 2021 postseason, tied for the most of any player with Jose Altuve of the Astros. Dodgers top batter was AJ Pollock with a game score of +1.0 (1-2 0R 2BI).
Rosario earned 1.5 Box-Toppers points in 2021, 534th among all players and 114th among NL batters. Rosario earned Player of the Game honors only once in 2021, on May 3, while he was still with the Indians, a game in which he also earned 0.5 bonus Box-Toppers points as AL Batter of the Day. The Braves acquired Rosario from the Indians at the trade deadline July 30.
The series resumes Thursday with Game 5 in Los Angeles.
Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners
Here is the top player from each of the day’s games listed from highest to lowest Box‑Toppers game score (BTG).| BTG | Game | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +7.0 | HOU 9, BOS 1 | Framber Valdez, (W 1‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 8.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| +6.0 | ATL 9, LAD 2 | Eddie Rosario, LF | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
` Pitcher had a no‑decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Coming Thursday:
NL Championship Series Game 5: Braves lead series over Dodgers, 3-1
The pitching matchup:
Braves—Max Fried, 11.8 Box-Toppers points, 30th among all players, 19th among NL pitchers.
This is Fried’s third 2021 postseason appearance. He was Player of the Game in the NLDS Game 2 win over the Brewers on Oct. 9. He also started in the NLCS Game 1 win over the Dodgers on Oct. 16.
Dodgers—Joe Kelly, 2.0 Box-Toppers points, 457th among all players, 111th among NL pitchers, 24th among NL middle relievers.
Reports indicate the Dodgers are pitching yet another bullpen game with an “opener” going one or two innings.
Kelly has made six middle relief appearances in the 2021 postseason, never more than one inning and never earning Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors. He made 48 relief appearances during the regular season, never started a game and never pitched more than 1 2/3 innings in any game.
Corey Knebel (0.0 Box-Toppers points, 1,204th among all players, 275th among NL pitchers) opened two games for the Dodgers in the 2021 postseason: The NLDS Game 5 win over the Giants on Oct. 14 and the NLCS Game 1 loss to the Braves on Oct. 16. He did not earn Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors in either game. Knebel has also made three other relief appearances in the 2021 postseason.
Box-Toppers preview of the NLCS from Oct. 15
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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