Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Sunday’s American League Championship Series Game 2.
Verlander struck out seven over 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, five hits and two walks, in the 3-2, 11-inning win over the Yankees. Verlander did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision, because he exited the game with the score tied, 2-2, before the Astros won in the bottom of the 11th on Carlos Correa’s walk-off solo home run.
The best-of-seven game series is now tied, 1-1, and resumes Wednesday in New York.
Verlander earned 27.5 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, second among all players, second among AL pitchers, behind teammate Gerrit Cole (32.2). He was also Player of the Game in the ALDS Game 1 win over the Rays on Oct. 4. He joins four other players who have earned Player of the Game honors twice this postseason: Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer and Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.
Verlander had a Box-Toppers game score Sunday of +2.2, highest among Astros players. Correa, who hit the walk-off homer, had a Box-Toppers game score of 0.0, highest among Astros batters (HR 2B 2-5 R 2BI). Yankees starter James Paxton had a Box-Toppers game score of -2.9 (2.1IP 4H R 2BB 3K ND). Aaron Judge of the Yankees had a game score of 0.0 (HR 1-4 R 2BI).
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +2.2 | `HOU 3, NYY 2 (F/11) | Justin Verlander | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 6.2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
` Pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Coming Monday:
NLCS Game 3: Nationals lead Cardinals, 2-0
The pitching matchup Monday:
Cardinals—Jack Flaherty, 16.5 Box-Toppers points, 11th among all players, fifth among NL pitchers.
This is Flaherty’s third postseason appearance. He appeared in the NL Division Series Game 4 loss to the Braves. He was Player of the Game in the NLDS Game 5 win over the Braves on Oct. 9.
Nationals—Stephen Strasburg, 20.7 Box-Toppers points, third among all players, first among NL pitchers.
This is Strasburg’s fourth postseason appearance. He’s already earned Player of the Game honors twice: In the NL Wild Card Game against the Brewers on Oct. 1 and in the NLDS Game 2 win over the Dodgers on Oct. 4. He also appeared in the NLDS Game 5 win over the Dodgers on Oct. 9.
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.
Box-Toppers strives for accuracy. See a mistake in a post? A wrong name, wrong team, grammar error, spelling goof, etc.? Thanks for pointing it out! Contact Box-Toppers here. Let's fix it and make it right.