Ruiz, Call stay hot as Nats snap four-game skid

PHILADELPHIA -- Citizens Bank Park can be a challenging stadium for visiting players.

Keibert Ruiz and Alex Call had the opposite results against the Phillies, each homering in two games of the series, including in Sunday afternoon’s 6-4 win.

Ruiz slugged a trio of home runs, two on Thursday and one on Sunday, while Call went deep on Saturday and Sunday as the Nationals snapped a four-game losing streak and avoided a series sweep.

“It was impressive,” said James Wood. “Keibert had three of them, and [Call] was flirting with the backside ones earlier this week and he got a back-side one today and smoked a pull-side homer today. They were big homers. It was fun to watch.”

Ruiz’s Statcast-estimated 386-foot home run to right field on Sunday off right-hander Taijuan Walker was notable for more than driving in Wood to tie the game.

Ruiz belted the home run on a high and outside pitch 4.07 feet off the ground and 0.62 feet from the center of home plate. He joined teammate CJ Abrams as the only two left-handed batters in the Statcast era (since 2015) to pull home runs on pitches that were at least that high and that far outside.

Abrams did so on Aug. 6 on a pitch 4.42 feet high and 0.65 feet from the center of home plate against the Giants.

“I was trying to get a good pitch to hit and get myself ready, not think too much and just let it go,” Ruiz said. “I’m using more [of] my legs, my hips, so I’m not jumping too much. That’s why I’ve been having success driving the ball.”

The only other Nationals player (2005-present) to hit a higher pitch for a home run was Kyle Schwarber at 4.18 feet on June 13, 2021, against San Francisco.

“He’s staying behind the ball a lot better,” said manager Dave Martinez. “He’s able to use his hands a lot better, and he’s driving the ball, which is awesome. We’ve always thought and we’ve seen it, that this is what Keibert can do.”

Ruiz had hit just one home run per month through June, but he tallied four in July and has three so far in August. He has boosted his OPS from .584 before the All-Star break to .732 in the second half.

Ruiz’s three homers in the series are his first in a three-game span since May 30-June 2, 2023.

"Initially, I thought it was in the zone,” said Walker. “Then when I saw the replay, I saw that it was way out of the zone. It's kind of what he does though. 0-2 pitch, it's one of those where I've got to tip my cap I guess. Between that and Call's home run too, those are both balls. Most times people don't swing at those pitches."

Call has stayed hot since being called up from Triple-A on July 29; he gave the Nationals the lead on a 397-foot solo shot off Walker in the fifth. Call is batting .356 with 13 runs scored, 14 RBIs and a .986 OPS in 26 games back in the Majors.

“Alex is Alex,” said Martinez. “He’s going to battle, he’s going to get up there and walk and get his hits. He’s playing really well.”

Call previously homered in consecutive games Sept. 8-9, 2022, in St. Louis and Philadelphia as a rookie. He is the seventh Nationals player to homer in consecutive games this season, and the second to do so this month, joining Luis García Jr. (Aug. 3-4 vs. the Brewers).

“The concerted approach to really focus on using the whole field and adjusting my swing to do that,” Call said Saturday. “But I’ve always been a good breaking ball hitter. I just think it’s getting the right one and making sure that you don’t miss it.”

Wood added an insurance run in the ninth with a solo shot of his own, his first pull-side homer. Wood pummeled a 97.8 mph fastball from right-hander Jeff Hoffman a projected 417 feet at 107.5 mph to right-center field.

“It felt good,” said Wood. “It kind of just happened. He’s throwing 97-98, so if I try to aim it anywhere, I’m going to be in trouble. So I was trying to hit it hard.”

Wood has five home runs on the season, and a .660 slugging percentage in his last 15 games.

“Wood crushed the ball,” said Martinez. “Everybody talks about ‘pull the ball’ -- he pulled that one. But that’s what he can do. He stayed on the ball really well, got his hands through and he smoked it.”

The Nats return to Nationals Park from this road trip with their first win at Citizens Bank Park since Aug. 8, 2023.