Luis Gil pitched better than Corbin Burnes, and Oswaldo Cabrera hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, helping the New York Yankees win 2-0 against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
Gil (2-1) pitched his best game yet, giving up only two hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings. This game was another low-scoring one between the top two teams in the AL East. Baltimore won the first two games of this four-game series 2-0 and 4-2, but Gil’s performance prevented a sweep by the Orioles.
Manager Aaron Boone praised Gil’s performance, saying, “Every time he pitches, he usually has some excellent stuff and can do what he did tonight. He set a great example for us. He’s a tough pitcher to face.”
The game was important enough for the Yankees to use closer Clay Holmes for the final five outs, his longest outing of the season. He struck out Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman with two runners on base to end the eighth inning, then dealt with a leadoff single in the ninth to secure his 10th save in 11 chances.
With this win, the Orioles (19-11) and the Yankees (20-12) are now nearly tied for first place.
Gil had a rough outing in his previous start against Milwaukee, giving up five runs in five innings. However, he bounced back against a strong Baltimore lineup, striking out five batters and not allowing anyone past first base.
“Ensuring that I threw strikes was a major focus for me, even back in spring training,” Gil said through a translator. “We recognized the need for me to be more consistent in the strike zone.”
Burnes (3-1) gave up two runs and four hits, striking out six batters with one walk in his first loss since being traded from Milwaukee to Baltimore this past offseason.
The only scoring in the game occurred when Cabrera hit a line drive down the right field line that just cleared the wall and remained fair. The home run was confirmed after a brief review, with the ball staying inside the foul pole afterward.
Caleb Ferguson struck out both batters he faced in the seventh inning after replacing Gil. Ian Hamilton began the eighth inning by walking a batter and hitting another with a pitch.
After Hamilton retired pinch-hitter Anthony Santander on a foul pop-up, Holmes came in to face the top of the Baltimore lineup.
