Reactions from Anthony Rendon's record-setting day

The Nationals rolled the Mets in the series finale, setting franchise and even some major league records in a 23-5 shellacking.

If the news that center fielder Adam Eaton is likely done for the season with a torn ACL seemed to affect the Nationals in Saturday's loss, there was no carryover into Sunday. Not by a long shot.

And with Eaton out, which player in the lineup was most likely to and had the best opportunity to step up and take over the offense that was missed without the quick center fielder?

Anthony Rendon. By a long shot.

Rendon had a career high-setting performance, going 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs - the most RBIs ever by one batter in Nats/Expos history. The six hits were a career high. The previous high was four hits in a game, which he has accomplished eight times.

Rendon had in order: a two-run double, a solo homer, a three-run shot, a three-run double, a single and run scored, and another solo home run.

The three homers were also his first three homers of the season. Those three roundtrippers in one game were matched only by four other Nats players: Alphonso Soriano, Adam Dunn, Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper.

Further, the six hits, three homers and 10 RBIs by one player in one game has happened only once before in major league history: Walker Cooper of the Reds did it on July 6, 1949, going 6-for-7.

The last player to connect for 10 RBIs in one game was Garret Anderson for the Angels on Aug. 21, 2007 against the Yankees.

Rendon is the 13th player in major league history to net 10 RBIs in one game. The big league record for RBIs is 12, accomplished twice, last by Mark Whiten in September 1993.

Did Rendon know he was nearing a record as the hits and RBIs kept piling up?

"I was aware of some of it," Rendon said. "And then (Stephen) Drew came up to me and told me after I hit the double to right center, I think that made it nine. I think he told me, 'That's a record! I'm glad I was here to watch it.' That's when I knew for sure."

Trea Turner, who hit for the cycle in Denver last week, confirmed that there was a buzz in the dugout as Rendon came up to bat in the eighth when he hit his third homer.

"Yeah, I didn't realize he was a triple short of the cycle," Turner said. "I think everybody wanted him to hit his third home run. Everybody was obviously aware he already hit two and was 5-for-5. Everyone wanted him to hit a third one."

Turner contributed a double and run scored, and talked highly of the defender to his right on the infield.

"That's why he's my favorite player. He's special," Turner said. "Not many people can say they hit three homers in a game. Not many people can say they got six hits in a game. Or 10 RBIs. Or all the stats they had. That's really awesome."

Rendon is now hitting .344 (22-for-64) over his last 16 games. But he didn't think today's hitting outburst was a result of him altering his approach after a slow start to begin the month.

"No. I feel the same," he said. "Exactly what I've had the entire month. Your guess is as good as mine."

Do RBIs mean a lot to Rendon when he looks at individual stats?

"Yeah, RBIs are definitely up there," Rendon said. "Batting average and RBIs are probably the two most important things. Everyone wants to hit above .300 and drive in 100 runs."

Catcher Matt Wieters, who went 3-for-4 himself with two homers, believes he has seen Rendon getting into a groove the last couple of weeks.

"You could kind of see it in Tony coming," Wieters said. "He was starting to take some good swings on balls. And when he's hot, he's as good a hitter as there is in the game. It was good to see him tear it loose today. Now we keep him going and it makes our lineup even deeper."

Manager Dusty Baker said a day like Rendon had can make the third baseman feel a little bit better about his slow start to begin April. He says Rendon is rolling.

"It can take you from .240 to .280 in a hurry," Baker said. "Especially this early in the season and it couldn't have happened to a finer guy. I think last year he hit one run home and maybe one RBI the whole month, but he finished extremely strong this month in April."