Anthony Rendon sets Nationals franchise record
Much like Oakland Athletics’ first baseman Brandon Moss, who set a club record for RBI (5) in the A’s American League Wild Card one-run loss to the Kansas City Royals, Anthony Rendon set a franchise record for hits in a postseason game for the Washington Nationals in the team’s one-run loss to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.
For Rendon, 24, this was a big record to break. It includes the clubs’ time as the Montreal Expos. With four singles in his first four at-bats Rendon became the only member of either club to have four hits in a playoff game.
Prior to Rendon’s night only two Nationals players and two Expos players had accomplished a three-hit postseason game. For the Nationals it was Kurt Suzuki and Ian Desmond (who did it twice) in the 2012 NLDS. For the Expos it was Tim Raines and Gary Carter during the 1981 playoffs.
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Rendon has not been victim to the sophomore slump some players experience. In 153 games (he played in 98 in 2013, exceeding his rookie limits) Rendon hit .287/.351/.473 with 21 home runs, 39 doubles, 17 stolen bases and 83 RBI. The infielder has proven to be quite valuable to the Nationals.
Unfortunately last night his efforts were in vain as Brandon Belt homered in the 18th inning of the longest ever recorded playoff game to put the Giants up 2-1.
The Nationals were unable to answer back in the bottom of the 18th, leaving them down 2 games to none in the 2014 NLDS. Rendon said that he normally would have been able to enjoy his on-field accomplishments which also included driving in the Nationals’ lone run, contributing defensively, stealing a base and ALMOST hitting what would have been a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 15th inning had it not been for the rough weather conditions in Washington, D.C.
Yet even with the record setting night he had Rendon said that he would’ve been able to enjoy it on another night,
"“But not tonight.”"