Luis Gil struck out a career-high nine batters over 5 2/3 innings to earn his first win in the major leagues in three years. The New York Yankees capitalized on Adam Civale’s struggles with control in the fifth inning, scoring four runs to secure a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Civale issued three consecutive walks with two outs in the fifth inning, leading to Alex Verdugo’s two-run single and RBI singles by Jose Trevino and Oswaldo Cabrera in quick succession. This gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead after they had struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities earlier in the game.
Verdugo had three hits in the game as the Yankees improved their record to 15-7 for the season, winning their sixth series out of seven.
Gil, making his 11th start in the big leagues at the age of 25, surrendered only two hits and three walks, allowing just one unearned run due to an error he made on a pickoff attempt. His last win came in his debut game against Baltimore on August 3, 2021.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery following an injury in May 2022, Gil returned to the mound last September with Class A Tampa. He has performed well for the Yankees this season, boasting a 2.75 ERA in four starts.
Amed Rosario continued his hitting streak, extending it to 13 games and raising his batting average to .351. He contributed with a two-run double in the eighth inning, helping the Rays narrow the gap, but the Yankees held on for the win.