No player, with the possible exception of fellow striker Abe Thompson, has been hotter lately than FC Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz.
The Guatemalan international has four goals for the Hoops in his last three games. Ruiz now has a team-leading 12 goals on the season, four behind current league leader Jeff Cunningham of Real Salt Lake.
As well as Ruiz is playing right now, going on a scoring burst in FCD's last two games -- a home affair against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday and the return match a week later at The Home Depot Center -- isn't out of the question. But Ruiz admits that catching Cunningham for the Budweiser Golden Boot isn't very realistic.
"I don't know how many games he (Cunningham) has left," Ruiz said. "It's very difficult in two games to try and score four goals and tie him. I think it's impossible. Everything all depends on how we play in our next game at home."
Ruiz has instead turned his focus to helping FCD win at least one of their next two matches, which would allow them to clinch the Western Conference regular season title as well as home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Hoops became the first West side to punch their playoff ticket when, on Sept. 23, they beat RSL 2-1 at Pizza Hut Park. Ruiz started off the evening's scoring with an 11th-minute goal, and the win by FCD also clinched home field for the Western Conference Semifinals.
"I think we are in a great position and need only one point to get home field, which is great for us," Ruiz said. "In the playoffs, we will only have one game away and two games at home."
His recent scoring outburst has definitely given "El Pescadito", or "Fish", a lot of confidence.
"I have more confidence," Ruiz said. "The playoffs are coming and we have tough games and I am still scoring goals. We're going to be in great shape for the playoffs. Every time I score goals, I get more confidence. I have scored four in the last three games, which is good for our team. We need to keep going, try to win our last two games and play better each week."
Even being within striking distance of the Golden Boot is all the more impressive, especially considering that Ruiz missed more than a month of action back in July after suffering a strained right hamstring in a July 9 match with the New York Red Bulls in Frisco.
He missed three games before returning as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 loss on Aug. 12 at Houston.
If Ruiz is to put together that goal outburst, it will come against his former team, the Galaxy, whom he played for from 2002 to 2004 before coming to FCD last season.
"I have a lot of ex-teammates on that team and have shared some great memories with them," he said. "Right now, I play for Dallas and we are focused on winning the last two games. I don't care about it being against L.A. or anyone else."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
