WASHINGTON -- James Wood and Luis García Jr. each smacked a home run, and two strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double plays pushed the Nationals to their sixth series win in May in a 4-2 dispatch of the Padres.
Wood’s 16th homer of the year was a two-run blast in the fifth off Padres starter Griffin Canning, the ball soaring a Statcast-projected 417 feet. Pinch-hitter Andrés Chaparro added on in the seventh, dropping in a run-scoring double to provide valuable insurance to right-hander Zack Littell’s memorable May turnaround.
"It just seems like he's on time for everything,” manager Blake Butera said of Wood’s at-bats. “He's getting pitched so hard, too, that it's so impressive. Sometimes I just sit back and enjoy watching him take his at-bats against some of the better arms. Seems like every team is trying to match up for him specifically. He’s seeing the ball out of the hand pretty well, and he's laying off some tough pitches, too."
Wood has reached base safely in seven of his 12 career plate appearances against Canning, going 4-for-9 with a double, two HRs and three walks.
"I feel like I have been a little bit better in swing decisions,” Wood said. “My timing has been a little bit better ... and a little bit of luck, too. I think just going up with a good plan, and just being on time and just trusting your plan."
Washington has not lost a series since May 8-10 in Miami, and it went 16-12 in May -- the most wins in a single month for the franchise since August of 2023 (17-11), after going 12-15 in April.
"I'm not sure that the actual vibes changed all that much,” Littell said of the May surge. “The group is just more confident. You got a team full of young guys, being in games, taking series from teams that are really good, the Braves, the Padres. It’s only going to continue to build confidence in these guys and then go out and compete with anybody."
The Nationals (31-29) have won 20 of their past 33 games dating back to April 25.
García, who was 0-for-10 against Canning in his career, crushed a Statcast-projected 402-foot fly ball over the center field wall to open the scoring in the fourth. The first baseman has two homers and eight RBIs over his last six games, hitting .381 (8-for-21).
Littell recorded six shutout frames but struggled to begin the seventh, walking Xander Bogaerts before Jackson Merrill laid down a perfect bunt and Ty France doubled in a run.
But the Nationals were able to avoid a big Padres rally by executing a crowd-pleasing strikeout-throwout double play to end the frame: With two on and one out, reliever Orlando Ribalta struck out pinch-hitter Miguel Andujar on a called third strike, then catcher Keibert Ruiz threw out Sung-Mun Song attempting to steal second. Andujar challenged the pitch result but the call was confirmed.
"He was unbelievable,” Littell said of Ruiz. “To maintain the receiving back there and give the umpire something to look at -- you saw it with the Andujar at-bat with the strike. He's been so good. Keibert, for whatever you want to call it, had the reputation of maybe not a defensive-minded catcher, but I think he's been unbelievable. I enjoy working with him."
Littell (5-4) earned his fifth win of the month after an 0-4 April, twirling six-plus innings and allowing two runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The right-hander has given up two or fewer earned runs in six straight appearances. Opponents hit 13 homers off Littell in his first six outings, but have been held to just two homers his next six.
Ruiz also threw out Bogaerts trying to steal second to end the fourth. The Nats defense flexed its muscle again when Jacob Young robbed Manny Machado of extra bases at the center-field wall to end the eighth. Ruiz also went 2-for-3 at the plate.
“I have been working hard on both sides, defense and hitting,” Ruiz said. “I didn't start well, and then this month I picked it up. I just control what I can control. Keep working every day, keep working hard and just get better every day.”
Reliever Clayton Beeter allowed a base hit in the ninth but no runs in recording his fourth save. Ruiz recorded another strikeout double play to end the game, throwing out Merrill after Beeter struck out France.
"It has been so much fun to watch Keibert work, make the improvements that he's made throughout the year,” Butera said. “Such a great kid too. He's a tremendous person to have around the clubhouse. What, three caught stealings today? It's a lot of fun.
“I know he was frustrated early on. He and Drew Millas take a lot of pride in throwing guys out, and to see the day that he had today -- offensively and with the arm? I couldn't be happier for him."