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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Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Jacob Barnes delivers during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jake Irvin delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Matt Strahm delivers during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Washington Nationals' C.J. Abrams, right, steals third as Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Edmundo Sosa, left, tries to tag him during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos hits a single to score Trea Turner during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Washington Nationals shortstop C.J. Abrams, left, celebrates with second baseman Luis Garcia, right, after they won a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Washington Nationals' Andres Chaparro, right, celebrates his run with C.J. Abrams, left, during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Norfolk Southern said Wednesday it has fired CEO Alan Shaw for having an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

His ouster comes after two difficult years in the top job and just days after the company’s board announced it was investigating him for alleged ethical lapses.

The Atlanta-based railroad said Shaw had an inappropriate consensual relationship with Norfolk Southern's chief legal officer, who was also terminated. Norfolk Southern promoted Chief Financial Officer Mark George to be the railroad's next CEO.

Shaw was leading Norfolk Southern in February 2023 when one of its trains derailed, spilled toxic chemicals and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, the worst railroad disaster in the last decade. Then, activist investor Ancora Holdings tried to take control of the railroad earlier this year and fire Shaw.

He weathered congressional hearings and difficult community meetings after the East Palestine derailment, while promising to make Norfolk Southern the “gold standard for safety” in the industry. He also managed to persuade investors not to back the majority of Ancora’s board nominees. Three of its nominees did win seats on the railroad’s board, but that wasn’t enough to give it control.

The derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border prompted the nation to re-examine railroad safety and led lawmakers and regulators to call for reforms. But those proposals have largely stalled, and the industry has made only minimal changes since the derailment, such as installing more trackside detectors to spot overheating bearings like the one that caused the East Palestine crash.

The disappointing financial results Norfolk Southern delivered after the derailment, combined with questions about Shaw’s strategy of keeping more workers on hand during a downturn, made the railroad ripe for pressure from an investor like Ancora. Norfolk Southern's profits have consistently lagged behind the other major railroads that more aggressively adopted the lean operating model that has become the industry standard.

The railroad said Shaw’s firing was unrelated to Norfolk Southern’s financial performance, and the board reaffirmed its financial guidance. The railroad has said it expects to improve productivity by about $550 million and boost its profit margin over the next two years.

Shaw received $13.4 million compensation last year in his first full year as CEO. The railroad said earlier this year that Shaw would be entitled to nearly $9.6 million in retirement compensation if he left the company. It wasn’t immediately clear how being fired for cause will affect the $2.3 million severance pay Norfolk Southern had previously promised him. More details on his final compensation are expected to be disclosed Thursday.

The railroad's Chairman Claude Mongeau said, “The Board has full confidence in Mark and his ability to continue delivering on our commitments to shareholders and other stakeholders” despite having only worked on the railroad since 2019. Previously, George was CFO for air conditioning maker Carrier Corporation and Otis Elevator Company.

Mongeau said George will work with John Orr — the chief operating officer hired during its fight with Ancora — to continue improving the railroad's profits by cutting costs and getting more efficient.

“I look forward to my continued partnership with John and the entire (Norfolk Southern) team as we further our progress on optimizing operations and serving our customers, while creating a safe and satisfying workplace and delivering enhanced value for our employees, customers, shareholders, and communities,” George said in a statement.

Norfolk Southern is one of the six largest railroads in North America with tracks crisscrossing the Eastern United States.

FILE - Norfolk Southern Railroad CEO Alan Shaw speaks during an interview Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)