NLCS preview: Surging Brewers hold key Box-Toppers advantages over Dodgers

The surging Milwaukee Brewers hold several key advantages over the Los Angeles Dodgers as they enter the National League Championship Series.

Read More

Orioles' Bud Norris, Phillies' Jerome Williams top players for Monday, Aug. 18

Orioles pitcher Bud Norris is Monday’s Player of the Day. Norris struck out five over seven innings in the 8-2 win over the White Sox.

Of all eight players earning Player of the Game honors Monday, Norris has the highest Box-Toppers points total for the season. He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 6.0 for the season and ranks 101st among all players.

Phillies pitcher Jerome Williams is National League Player of the Day. Williams gave up one run over seven innings in the 4-1 win over the Mariners.

Erik Kratz of the Royals is American League Batter of the Day. Kratz hit two solo home runs in the 6-4 win over the Twins.

Jason Heyward of the Braves is NL Batter of the Day. Heyward homered and went 3-for-4, driving in two runs, in the 7-3 win over the Pirates.

Norris receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Williams receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Kratz and Heyward each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.

All of Monday’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

818 Score Team Player AB R H BI BB K IP H R ER BB K
MLB 5.0 Orioles Bud Norris (W, 11-7) - - - - - - 7.0 3 2 2 0 5
BAT 4.0 Royals Erik Kratz PH, C 2 2 2 2 0 0 - - - - - -
NL 3.0 Phillies Jerome Williams (W, 1-0) - - - - - - 7.0 3 1 1 3 4
3.0 Cubs Kyle Hendricks (W, 5-1) - - - - - - 7.0 3 1 1 2 3
BAT 2.0 Braves Jason Heyward RF 4 1 3 2 0 0 - - - - - -
2.0 Angels Kole Calhoun RF 2 2 2 0 2 0 - - - - - -
1.0 Cardinals Jhonny Peralta SS 5 1 3 2 0 1 - - - - - -
1.0 Nationals Wilson Ramos C 4 1 2 2 0 1 - - - - - -

Gee, Grimm top players for Sunday, April 21

Mets pitcher Dillon Gee is Sunday's Player of the Day. Gee pitched 5 2/3 shutout innings and struck out six in the 2-0 win over the Nationals.

Rangers pitcher Justin Grimm is American League Player of the Day. Grimm struck out nine over six innings in the 11-3 win over the Mariners.​

Eric Kratz of the Phillies is National League Batter of the Day. Kratz hit a three-run homer and went 2-for-4 ​in the 7-3 win over the Cardinals.

No AL batter was named Player of the Game, so no bonus points were awarded Sunday for AL Batter of the Day. It was a pitching-dominated day Sunday, as only two batters were named Players of the Game in the 16 games played.​

Gee receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being named Player of the Day. Grimm receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Kratz receives 1.5 points for NL  Batter of the Day.

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

​

421ScoreTeamBATTERSABRHRBIBBSO--PITCHERSIPHRERBBSO
MLB5.2Mets 0000000  Dillon Gee (W, 1-3)5.230036
 5.0Giants 0000000  Barry Zito (W, 3-1)7.050014
AL5.0Rangers 0000000  Justin Grimm (W, 1-0)6.062119
 5.0Rays 0000000  Roberto Hernandez (W, 1-3)6.031137
 4.0Royals 0000000  Ervin Santana (W, 2-1)7.062207
 4.0Reds 0000000  Logan Ondrusek (W, 1-0)1.000003
 4.0Royals 0000000  Greg Holland (S, 5)1.000003
BAT3.0Phillies Erik Kratz C422300  00.000000
 3.0Angels 0000000  Jerome Williams (W, 1-0)3.020002
 3.0Twins 0000000  Glen Perkins (S, 5)1.000002
 3.0Brewers 0000000  Jim Henderson (S, 4)1.000002
 3.0Diamondbacks 0000000  Heath Bell (W, 2-0)1.000002
 2.1Blue Jays 0000000  Brett Cecil (W, 1-0)1.110002
 2.0Pirates 0000000  Jason Grilli (S, 7)1.000012
 1.0Dodgers Mark Ellis 2B411302  00.000000
 1.0`Indians 0000000  Joe Smith (H, 2)1.020002

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

​