Luis Gil struck out nine batters and won his sixth consecutive start, contributing to the impressive streak by the Yankees’ starting pitchers. Alex Verdugo hit a home run, helping the New York Yankees bounce back with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.
Anthony Volpe extended his hitting streak to 21 games with two hits, matching the longest streak in the majors this season. He also scored a run.
Logan O’Hoppe hit a solo home run for the Angels, who have lost four of their last five games.
Despite the game’s low score, there were exciting moments both early and late. Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected in the first inning after a baserunner interference call. In the ninth inning, the Angels had runners on first and second with no outs but failed to capitalize, grounding into a double play and recording an out at third base.
“It was a bit unusual at the beginning, but also a really exciting game to watch, although it was nerve-racking,” said Boone.
Gil (7-1) pitched eight innings, allowing just one run on two hits, extending the starting staff’s MLB-record streak to 16 consecutive games of pitching at least five innings and allowing two runs or fewer.
Since May 12, Yankees starters have a record of 12-4 and have only allowed 11 earned runs in 99 innings, resulting in an impressive 1.00 ERA. Opposing teams have struggled to hit against them, with a batting average of .158.
“The plan from the beginning was to throw the fastball up in the zone, mix in secondary pitches, and command pitches within the strike zone,” Gil said. “When we execute that plan, it allows us to find a good rhythm and pitch deep into the game.”
Clay Holmes closed out the game in the ninth inning, earning his 16th save of the season.
After some early challenges for the Yankees, including a baserunner interference call and a rally-ending hit-by-ball incident, Alex Verdugo’s home run provided the decisive moment in the game.
