Ruiz, Call and Wood go deep as the Nationals snap 4-game skid with 6-4 win over Phillies
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Keibert Ruiz homered for the third time in four games, Alex Call and James Wood also went deep and the Washington Nationals snapped a four-game skid and avoided a series sweep with a 6-4 win over the NL-leading Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
Jacob Young’s sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth snapped a 4-all tie as the Nationals ended the Phillies’ four-game winning streak.
Ruiz hit a two-run homer in the third off Phillies starter Taijuan Walker. Call followed an inning later with his third this season, and second in the series.
Call’s 397-foot shot to left field chased Walker, who lasted 4 2/3 innings and threw 99 pitches, 61 for strikes. The 32-year-old right-hander struck out three and walked three.
The Nationals were able to get the two late runs off of Philadelphia’s two All-Star relievers. Washington loaded the bases against Matt Strahm (4-2) when Young was able to get good contact on a high fastball out of the zone and drive it deep enough to score Andres Chaparro.
In the ninth, Wood crushed a 3-1 fastball off Jeff Hoffman 417 feet to right center for his fifth homer of the season to add an insurance run for the Nationals.
Jacob Barnes (7-2) pitched a perfect 1 1/3 innings and earned the win in relief. Kyle Finnegan picked up his 31st save and made an acrobatic play to start a double play to secure the win.
Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh hit back-to-back homers and Trea Turner also went deep for Philadelphia.
Turner had a pair of hits off Washington starter Jake Irvin, including a solo shot into the shrubbery in center field leading off the third inning.
Turner, who was benched for a game against Miami earlier this week after a 16-game stretch in which he went 10 for 70, finished the four-game series against the Nationals with 10 hits.
Nick Castellanos drove in the Phillies’ other run with an RBI single in the first inning.
Travis Blankenhorn added an RBI single for Washington.
Alec Bohm extended his on-base streak to 35 games with a single in the first inning. It is the longest run by a Philadelphia player since Chase Utley had a 36-game streak in 2006.
UP NEXT
Washington: Returns home to begin a three-game series against Colorado on Tuesday. LHP D.J. Herz (2-5, 4.25) will go for the Nationals against Colorado LHP Austin Gomber (3-8, 4.82).
Philadelphia: Heads to Atlanta for an important NL East three-game series. RHP Zack Wheeler (12-5, 2.72) will pitch for the Phillies. The Braves have not announced a starter.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb