Indians' Kluber tops players for Friday, Aug. 15; White Sox' Abreu adds to AL batting Box-Toppers points lead

Indians pitcher Corey Kluber, Friday’s Player of the Day, rises to fourth place in Box-Toppers player rankings.

Meanwhile Friday, two other pitchers earning Player of the Game honors rose in Box-Toppers top 10 list and Jose Abreu of the White Sox extended his already large lead in Box-Toppers points among American League batters.

Kluber struck out 10 over 7 2/3 innings, allowing one run, in the 2-1, 11-inning win over the Orioles. Kluber earned a no-decision because the Orioles tied the game in the eighth inning after he left. Kluber earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 17.4 for the season. He rises from sixth to fourth place in Box-Toppers player rankings. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) He ranks second among AL pitchers, behind Max Scherzer of the Tigers (20.1 Box-Toppers points).

Mets pitcher Zack Wheeler is National League Player of the Day. Wheeler struck out 10 over 6 2/3 innings in the 3-2 win over the Cubs.

Jose Abreu of the White Sox is AL Batter of the Day. Abreu went 3-for-5, scored twice and drove in three runs, in the 11-5 win over the Blue Jays. Abreu earns 1.5 Box-Toppers points for being AL Batter of the Day, giving him 14.5 for the season. He ranks 11th among all players and extends his lead among AL batters—second-place Josh Donaldson of the Athletics has 9.0 Box-Toppers points.

Lyle Overbay of the Brewers is NL Batter of the Day. Overbay hit a pinch-hit, three-run double in the 6-3 win over the Dodgers.

Notables: Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto rose to fifth place in Box-Toppers player rankings. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Cueto (8IP 6K W in the 3-2 win over the Rockies) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 17.4 for the season. He ranks third among NL pitchers.

Angels pitcher Garrett Richards rose to seventh place in Box-Toppers player rankings. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Richards (7.1IP 7K W in the 5-4 win over the Rangers) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 15.7 for the season. He ranks fourth among AL pitchers. 

Kluber receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Wheeler receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Abreu and Overbay each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.

All of Friday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.

Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.

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. Players earn Box-Toppers points 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.

Top player from each game

Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score

815	Score	Team	Player	AB	R	H	BI	BB	K		IP	H	R	ER	BB	K
MLB	8.2	`Indians	Corey Kluber	-	-	-	-	-	-		7.2	5	1	1	2	10
	8.1	Rays	Alex Cobb (W, 8-6)	-	-	-	-	-	-		7.1	6	0	0	1	8
NL	4.2	Mets	Zack Wheeler (W, 8-8)	-	-	-	-	-	-		6.2	4	2	2	4	10
	3.1	Angels	Garrett Richards (W, 13-4)	-	-	-	-	-	-		7.1	7	2	2	0	7
BAT	3.0	White Sox	Jose Abreu 1B	5	2	3	3	0	1		-	-	-	-	-	-
BAT	3.0	Brewers	Lyle Overbay PH	1	0	1	3	0	0		-	-	-	-	-	-
	3.0	Cardinals	Lance Lynn (W, 13-8)	-	-	-	-	-	-		6.0	6	1	1	1	6
	2.2	`Astros	Jose Veras	-	-	-	-	-	-		1.2	0	0	0	1	2
	2.0	Phillies	Cody Asche 3B	4	2	2	2	0	1		-	-	-	-	-	-
	2.0	Braves	Philip Gosselin SS	4	2	2	2	0	1		-	-	-	-	-	-
	2.0	Reds	Johnny Cueto (W, 15-6)	-	-	-	-	-	-		8.0	6	2	2	2	6
	1.0	Royals	Alcides Escobar SS	4	0	2	3	0	0		-	-	-	-	-	-
	1.0	Nationals	Adam LaRoche 1B	4	1	2	2	0	1		-	-	-	-	-	-
	1.0	Mariners	Robinson Cano 2B	4	2	2	1	0	1		-	-	-	-	-	-
	1.0	Dbacks	Addison Reed (S, 29)	-	-	-	-	-	-		1.0	0	0	0	0	0

` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.

Miller, Lester, both with 1-hit shutouts, top players for Friday, May 10

A pair of pitchers threw complete game, one-hit shutouts to top all players for Friday.

Shelby Miller of the Cardinals is Friday's Player of the Day. Miller who gave up his only hit in the first inning (the only baserunner of the game) and struck out 13, led the Cards to a 3-0 win over the Rockies.​

Jon Lester of the Red Sox is American League Player of the Day. Lester also allowed only one baserunner, giving up a hit in the sixth inning, in the 5-0 win over the Blue Jays.​

Lyle Overbay of the Yankees is AL Batter of the Day. Overbay hit a two-run homer, went 4-for-5 and drove in five runs in the 11-6 win over the Royals.​

Ian Desmond of the Nationals is National League Batter of the Day. Desmond homered, went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs in the 7-3 win over the Cubs.​

Standings update: Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma moves up to ninth place among players in the 2013 season. Iwakuma was Player of the Game in the 6-3 win over the Athletics earning 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 5.7 for the season. Miller, who earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, moves up to 10th place with 5.7 points for the season.

Miller receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being named Player of the Day. Lester receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Overbay and Desmond receive 1.5 each for being top Batter of the Day in their league.

All of Friday's other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point:

510	Score	Team	BATTERS	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	-	-	PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
MLB	21.0	Cardinals	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Shelby Miller (W, 5-2)	9.0	1	0	0	0	13
AL	13.0	Red Sox	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Jon Lester (W, 5-0)	9.0	1	0	0	0	5
	8.0	Mariners	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Hisashi Iwakuma (W, 4-1)	7.0	4	2	2	0	9
BAT	6.0	Yankees	Lyle Overbay 1B	5	2	4	5	0	0			0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0
	6.0	Giants	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Matt Cain (W, 2-2)	8.0	3	2	2	2	7
	5.1	Orioles	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Tommy Hunter (W, 3-1)	2.1	0	0	0	0	3
BAT	5.0	Nationals	Ian Desmond SS	4	3	3	3	0	0			0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0
	5.0	`Angels	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Dane De La Rosa (H, 4)	2.0	0	0	0	0	3
	4.2	`Rays	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Alex Cobb	4.2	5	3	3	2	13
	3.0	Pirates	Garrett Jones 1B	5	2	3	3	0	0			0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0
	3.0	Marlins	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Steve Cishek (S, 5)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2
	2.1	Rangers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Robbie Ross (W, 1-0)	1.1	0	0	0	0	1
	2.0	Reds	Brandon Phillips 2B	4	2	2	2	1	2			0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0
	2.0	Tigers	Alex Avila C	4	1	2	3	0	2			0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0
	1.2	Diamondbacks	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			Tony Sipp (W, 2-1)	0.2	0	0	0	0	1

` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.