Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole and Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin are top players in Tuesday’s pair of league championship games.
The Astros take a 2-1 lead over the Yankees in the American League Championship Series and the Nationals win the National League Championship Series, sweeping the Cardinals, 4-0.
ALCS Game 3: Astros 4, Yankees 1
Cole struck out five over seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits and five walks, as Houston takes a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Cole earned 32.2 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, first among all players and first among American League pitchers. It is also the fourth-highest single-season point total since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995.
This is Cole’s third Player of the Game honor and third appearance in this postseason. Previously, he was Player of the Game in the AL Division Series Game 2 win over the Rays on Oct. 5 and in the Game 5 win on Oct. 10. Cole joins Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg as the only players to earn Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors three times in the 2019 postseason (Strasburg earned his third Player of the Game honor of the postseason Monday). Strasburg led NL pitchers in Box-Toppers points in 2019 (20.7), while Cole led AL pitchers (32.2).
Cole had a Box-Toppers game score of +5.0, highest among Astros players. Second baseman Jose Altuve had a Box-Toppers game score of 0.0, highest among Astros batters (HR 2-5 2R BI). Yankees starter Luis Severino had a Box-Toppers game score of -1.9 (4.1IP 5H 2R 3BB 6K L).
The series resumes Wednesday in New York with Game 4.
NLCS Game 4: Nationals 7, Cardinals 4
Corbin struck out 12 over five innings, allowing four runs, four hits and three walks, as the Nationals complete a four game sweep of the Cardinals in the best-of-seven game series.
Corbin earned 16.4 Box-Toppers points in the regular season, 12th among all players and sixth among NL pitchers.
This was Corbin’s first Player of the Game honor of the 2019 postseason after four previous appearances, including one start and three relief appearances. He started NL Division Series Game 1 on Oct. 3, a loss to the Dodgers. He appeared in relief in the NLDS Game 3 loss to the Dodgers on Oct. 6, in the NLDS Game 5 win over the Dodgers on Oct. 9 and in the NLCS Game 2 win over the Cardinals on Oct. 12.
Corbin had a Box-Toppers game score Tuesday of +2.0, highest among Nationals players. Shortstop Trea Turner had a Box-Toppers game score of +1.0, highest among Nationals batters (2-4 R 2BI). Cardinals starter Daniel Hudson had a Box-Toppers game score of -16.9 (0.1IP 5H 7R 4ER BB 0K L).
Box-Toppers preview of the series suggested the Nationals were the overwhelming dominant team. The Nationals are Box-Toppers’ highest-ranked National League team with its players accumulating 132.9 Box-Toppers points during the 2019 regular season. They rank second overall only to the Houston Astros (158.1). The Cardinals, by contrast, have the second-fewest team Box-Toppers points of all postseason teams (105.8, 12th overall), ahead of only the NL Wild Card team Milwaukee Brewers (104.9 points, 14th). Three non-playoff qualifiers finished ahead of the Cardinals: the Cleveland Indians (110.8 points, ranked ninth), the New York Mets (108.7 points, ranked 10th) and the Chicago Cubs (107.9 points, ranked 11th).
The Nationals advance to the franchise’s first World Series (they were the Montreal Expos from 1969 to 2004 before moving to Washington). They face the winner of the Astros and Yankees beginning next Tuesday, Oct. 22, in either Houston or New York.
The Nationals were Box-Toppers preseason pick to win the World Series—but in 2015 and 2017. Box-Toppers also picked the Nationals as NL champs in 2018, losing in the World Series to the Indians. This season, they were our preseason pick to make it as far as the NLCS, but lose to Chicago Cubs, who would in turn lose in the World Series to the New York Yankees.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +5.0 | HOU 4, NYY 1 | Gerrit Cole (W, 3‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | |
| +2.0 | WSH 7, STL 4 | Patrick Corbin (W, 1‑2) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 5.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
` Pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Coming Wednesday:
ALCS Game 4: Astros lead Yankees, 2-1
Wednesday’s Game 4 has been postponed until Thursday because of rain. Zack Greinke is now listed as Astros starter and Masahiro Tanaka is listed as Yankees starter. It’s a rematch of Game 1 won by the Yankees. Here’s a preview of that game and of the series.
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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