Anthony Rendon 6-for-6, 3 HR, 10RBI As Nationals Crush Mets; Miguel Sano Drives In Five For Twins

Players of the Day for Sunday, April 30, 2017

American League

Sano's 25 RBI Leads AL

Despite a 5.06 ERA, pitcher Phil Hughes improved to 4-1 on the season, getting all the run support he needed from third baseman Miguel Sano, who wnet 3-for-5, including a three-run homer, driving in five runs, giving him the AL lead in RBI with 25. Minnesota handed the Royals their ninth straight defeat, 7-5. Hughes gave up four runs in 5 2/3rds innings.

Sano's home run was his seventh of the season, helping to boost his batting average to .313 while keeping the Twins relevant in the division, led by Cleveland. The White Sox are 1/2 game behind the Indians, with Minnesota 1 1/2 back and Detroit two behind. Kansas City has fallen 6 1/2 off the plate, as Minnesota swept the two games in Kansas City (Saturday's game was rained out).

Winners of four of their last five, the 12-11 Twins open a six-game homestand with three against the Athletics starting on Tuesday. Minnesota is just 5-7 at home.

National League

Rendon: 3 HR, 10 RBI

Heading into the final game of the three-game series against the Mets, Anthony Rendon had hit no home runs and had driven in just five runs in 22 games, but, by the time the Nationals were done romping over the Mets, 23-5, the Washington third baseman had established a new franchise record with 10 RBI, going 6-for-6 with six runs, two singles, a double, and three home runs.

Rendon drove in two with a single in the first, socked a solo homer in the third, stroked a three-run bomb in the fourth, doubled in three more in the fourth, singled and scored in the seventh, and crushed another solo homer in the eighth. It was the kind of game players call a good week.

Matt Weiters homered twice and drove in four runs. Bryce Harper hit his eighth home run and scored four times as the Nationals cranked out 23 hits against five Mets' hurlers.

The win avoided a sweep by the Mets and kept the Nationals well in front in the NL East, with a five game lead over the Phillies and Marlins. Washington has the best record in the majors, at 17-8 (.680). The Mets remain in last place in the division, 6 1/2 out.

Following a day off Monday, Washington will open a three-game series against the visiting, 16-11, Arizona Diamondbacks.