After missed chance Wednesday, Call delivers Thursday

ST. LOUIS – Alex Call returned to his hotel room late Wednesday night and couldn’t help but think about it.

A short while earlier, Call had found himself right in the middle of the play that decided the Nationals’ game against the Cardinals. Having pinch-run for Riley Adams in the top of the eighth, he was now in left field during a harrowing bottom of the ninth that saw Kyle Finnegan turn a comfortable four-run lead into a one-run nailbiter with two outs. And when Tommy Edman smoked Finnegan’s 31st pitch of the inning on a straight line over Call’s head, the rookie outfielder realized he was the Nats’ last hope to win the game.

Call ran back towards the fence, and as the ball was beginning to come down past him, he leaped and stuck his glove out in an attempt to make what would’ve been the Nationals’ greatest game-ending catch since Steven Souza Jr. saved Jordan Zimmermann’s no-hitter on the final day of the 2014 regular season.

But though he got his glove on the ball, Call could not do anything more than deflect it to the ground, where it fell harmlessly as the tying and winning runs scored for the Cardinals.

Nobody was blaming Call for not making a highlight-reel catch afterward, but that doesn’t mean the 27-year-old was at peace with the outcome.

“I did think about it a lot last night,” he said late Thursday afternoon. “It’s not like anybody is like: ‘That was a routine play.’ But if I catch it, we win the game, there’s no doubt about that. And as a player who takes pride in being prepared, takes pride in his defense, I want to make that play. Every time, I want to make it for Finny and for all the guys on the team. So it was a tough pill to swallow, especially because I haven’t been playing every day. I want to come in and contribute in any way that I can.”

Call woke up Thursday morning, still thinking about the catch that wasn’t, then reported to Busch Stadium for the series finale, assuming he’d again be coming off the bench. He sat down at his locker about 75 minutes before first pitch and got to work on a Sudoku puzzle when Davey Martinez suddenly tapped him on the shoulder.

Victor Robles had a stiff neck and couldn’t start as planned. Call was now in the lineup, batting ninth against Adam Wainwright, with a new opportunity to make a positive difference for his team.

“I was having good sleep – I always sleep well – but when I woke up, I was like: ‘Man, you should’ve caught that ball,’ ” he said. “You know, this is the big leagues, and everything’s magnified. We win that game. So, coming here today, I wasn’t in the lineup, but I was still going to go through my routine. Then my name gets called, and I’m like: ‘This is perfect. I’m going to go out there and compete the way I know how to do it, and hopefully something great happens.’ And I was able to have a great game.”

Did he ever. Call wound up recording the first four-hit game of his brief career, singling twice, doubling once and launching a three-run homer in the top of the ninth to extend the Nationals’ lead to 11-4. He finished with five RBIs and even more respect than he already had earned from his manager in the few weeks since he was called up from Triple-A Rochester following his acquisition off waivers from the Guardians.

“This guy is willing to play, eager to play, every single day,” Martinez said. “Even when he’s on the bench, he prepares himself well, in case he has to come in the game. I thought he did a heck of a job yesterday even trying to get to that ball and trying to make that catch. Today it was no different. I know what I’m going to get from him when he goes out there to play. He’s all-in, 150 percent every day from that kid, and I can’t ask more of him.”

A Wisconsin native and lifelong Packers fan, Call conducted his postgame interview with reporters wearing a Brett Favre jersey, joining teammates in recognizing their respective favorite NFL players on the day the 2023 season began.

A four-hit, five-RBI game, and a chance to be interviewed while wearing a Favre jersey?

“Today was a fun one, no doubt about it,” he said.

And there should be opportunities for more fun ones before the season ends.

“He’s a gamer. He plays hard. He had a great day today,” Martinez said. “I think he might’ve earned a spot in the lineup tomorrow.”