2017 Signature Moments: #7 — “Perfect 10”
The Nationals are preparing to play in the postseason for the fourth time in six years! The NL East Champs had an exciting and historic 2017 season with lots of wonderful moments. We’re very excited for the postseason, and before the start of the NLDS at Nationals Park, we’re counting down the days with 10 of the most exciting events of the 2017 regular season (in chronological order). Join us as we relive our favorite memories here on Curly W Live!
#7 — “Perfect 10”
After losing Adam Eaton to a knee injury in the opener and dropping a close contest in game two, the Nationals were looking for a spark in the series finale, facing Mets’ ace Noah Syndergaard on Sunday, April 30. They’d get that and more, with Anthony Rendon leading the way.
The onslaught began rather innocently in the bottom of the first. Syndergaard struck out the leadoff man, Trea Turner, who had hit for the cycle and driven in seven runs five days earlier, on three pitches. But Jayson Werth singled and Bryce Harper walked in front of a Ryan Zimmerman RBI-single, knotting the score, 1–1.
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After Daniel Murphy fanned on three pitches for out number two, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and Rendon cashed them in with a two-run single. Michael A. Taylor drove Rendon home with a two-out hit of his own, followed by an intentional walk to Matt Wieters and an RBI single by starting pitcher Joe Ross to push the advantage to 5–1.
Rendon’s next five at-bats were every bit as productive as his first. He crushed his first home run of the year in the third inning, giving Washington a 6–3 lead at that point. He then connected for another tape-measure blast in the fourth, a three-run shot that gave him a career-best two home runs and six RBI on the afternoon.
Batting again just an inning later, Rendon stepped to the plate against Fernando Salas with the bases full of Nationals with two outs in the inning. His drive to deep right-center field narrowly missed clearing the tall wall, but cleared the bases for a three-run double, giving him nine RBI. He then collected his fifth hit on a line drive single to left that was hit too sharply to score Murphy from second.
Finally, in the bottom of the eighth, Rendon stepped to the plate in search of Major League history. With a mighty swing, Rendon launched his third longball of the game, making him the first player in the history of the game to go a perfect 6-for-6 with three home runs and 10 RBI in a single game. The performance sent the Nationals’ third baseman on an upward trajectory from that point on in the season, as he took his home run total from zero to three and his RBI tally from five to 15 during the win.
The 23 runs scored in the 23–5 victory also eclipsed the Montreal/Washington (1969-present) franchise mark, while seven total home runs temporarily set a new team high (2005-present) — a record that would last less than three months.
We’re so proud of all of Anthony’s accomplishments this season!
The full list of Signature Moments will be in the National League Division Series Magazine, available soon in the Main Team Store and throughout Nationals Park.
