Marwin Gonzalez of the Astros is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Sunday’s World Series Game 5.
The Houston Astros win 9-5, holding off the Atlanta Braves, who still lead the best-of-seven game series, 3-2.
Gonzalez hit a fifth-inning, pinch-hit single, driving in two runs, giving the Astros a 7-5 lead they would not relinquish. He was 1-for-1, scoring no runs and driving in two.
Gonzalez had a Box-Toppers game score Sunday of +2.0. Two other Astros players—relief pitchers Phil Maton and Kendall Graveman—both had higher game scores of +3.0, but neither qualified to be considered for Player of the Game because they didn’t have three innings pitched or did not earn the win or save. Maton (2IP 2H 0R 0BB 3K ND) and Graveman (2IP H 0R 0BB 2K ND) also could have earned Player of the Game honors if they had a higher game score and the same or more innings pitched as a pitcher who otherwise would be considered Player of the Game.
One other player had a game score of +2.0—relief pitcher Ryne Stanek (1IP 0H 0R 0BB K ND), who also did not qualify to be considered for Player of the Game honors. Also, in cases of game score ties, batters rank higher than pitchers, giving Gonzalez the edge.
Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez had a game-worst game score of -12.8 (2.2IP 4H 5R 5ER 2BB K ND), giving up all five of the Braves’ runs. Astros reliever Jose Urquidy, who picked up the win, had a game score of 0.0 (1IP H 0R 0BB 0K W).
In addition to Gonzalez, three other Astros batters had positive game scores Sunday, all with +1.0:
Carlos Correa (2B 3-5 R 2BI).
Yuli Gurriel (3-5 2R BI).
Martin Maldonado (1-3 0R 3BI).
Braves starting pitcher Tucker Davidson had a Box-Toppers game score of -8.0 (2IP 2H 4R 2ER 3BB K ND). Braves reliever A.J. Minter, who picked up the loss, had a game score of -8.0 (1IP 3H 3R 2BB 2K L). Braves reliever Drew Smyly, who pitched the most innings of any pitcher on either team Sunday, had a game score of -1.0 (3IP 5H 2R 0BB 5K ND).
Adam Duvall (GS 1-4 R 4BI), whose first-inning grand slam gave the Braves an early, fleeting 4-0 lead, had the highest Box-Toppers game score (+2.0) among all Braves players.
Gonzalez earned 1.5 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, 532nd among all players and 125th among AL batters. This is his first Player of the Game honor of the 2021 postseason.
The World Series resumes Tuesday with Game 6 in Houston.
Top Astros in World Series Game 5: Houston 9, Atlanta 5
Here are the Box-Toppers game scores (BTG) of all Astros players who appeared in World Series Game 5, listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score. Player of the Game (POG) is Marwin Gonzalez.| 10/31 | BTG | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +3.0 | Phil Maton | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| +3.0 | Kendall Graveman | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| POG | +2.0 | Marwin Gonzalez, PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | |
| +2.0 | Ryne Stanek, (Hld 1) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| +1.0 | Carlos Correa, SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| +1.0 | Yuli Gurriel, 1B | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| +1.0 | Martin Maldonado, C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| +0.1 | Yimi García | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0.0 | Kyle Tucker, CF‑RF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| 0.0 | Zack Greinke, PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| 0.0 | Jose Urquidy, (W 2‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0.0 | Jose Siri, CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| 0.0 | Yimi García, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| 0.0 | Jose Urquidy, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| 0.0 | Phil Maton, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| 0.0 | Ryne Stanek, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Alex Bregman, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Framber Valdez, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Chas McCormick, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Kendall Graveman, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑2.0 | Jose Altuve, 2B | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑2.0 | Michael Brantley, RF‑LF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑5.0 | Yordan Alvarez, LF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑12.8 | Framber Valdez | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
World Series Game 6, Braves lead Astros in series, 3-2
World Series Game 6 starting pitchers: Max Fried of the Braves and Luis Garcia of the Astros.
Tuesday’s starting pitchers:
Braves—Max Fried, 11.8 Box-Toppers points, 30th among all players, 19th among NL pitchers.
This is Fried’s fourth 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, the NLCS Game 5 loss to the Dodgers on Oct. 21 and the World Series Game 2 loss to the Astros on Oct. 27.
Astros—Luis Garcia, 10.0 Box-Toppers points, 49th among all players, 18th among AL pitchers.
This is Garcia’s fifth appearance of the 2021 postseason. He was Player of the Game Oct. 22 in the AL Championship Game 6 win over the Red Sox. He also started Oct. 10 in the AL Division Series Game 3 loss to the White Sox, Oct. 16 in the AL Championship Series loss to the Red Sox and Oct. 29 in the World Series Game 3 loss to the Braves.
Fried and Garcia both have the most 2021 Box-Toppers points among eligible players on their teams. Garcia led Astros players with 10.0 points while Fried (11.8) ranked second to pitcher Charlie Morton (12.7), who is not on the roster after his leg was broken in Game 1.
The line—At Betway, the Astros are -135 favorites to win Game 6.
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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