Gil, Verdugo propel Yankees to 2-1 victory over Angels as Volpe extends hitting streak to 21 games
By JOE REEDY
AP Sports Writer
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Luis Gil struck out nine and won his sixth straight start, continuing a record run by the starters, Alex Verdugo homered and the New York Yankees bounced back with a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night.
Anthony Volpe extended his hitting streak to 21 games with two hits, tying the longest run in the majors this season. He also scored.
Logan O’Hoppe had a solo shot for the Angels, who have dropped four of five.
Despite the low-scoring game, there was plenty of drama early and late.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected in the first inning after baserunner interference was called on Juan Soto. In the ninth, the Angels had runners on first and second with none out before Willie Calhoun grounded into a double play and Logan O’Hoppe grounded out to third.
“It was a little weird to start, but also a really fun game to watch, albeit nerve wracking,” Boone said.
Gil (7-1) allowed one run on two hits in eight innings, extending the starting staff’s MLB-record run to 16 straight games in which they have gone at least five innings and allowed two runs or fewer.
Since May 12, Yankees starters have gone 12-4 and allowed only 11 earned runs in 99 innings for a 1.00 ERA. Opposing teams have a .158 batting average.
“The plan from the get go was to be able to spot the fastball up, mixed with secondary pitches and to be able to command pitches in the strike zone,” Gil said through an interpreter. “I think when we’re able to do that it allows you to have a good rhythm and go deep into the game.”
Clay Holmes survived the early traffic in the ninth for his 16th save.
After the Yankees had an unassisted double play turned against them in the first inning due to baserunner interference by Juan Soto and a second-inning rally end due to Anthony Rizzo being hit by a batted ball from DJ LeMahieu, Verdugo drove an elevated sinker by Tyler Anderson (5-5) into the stands in right field.
Volpe made it 2-0 in the seventh when he hit a triple into the right field corner and came home when Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo’s throw to third went into the camera well.
Gil had retired 11 straight until O’Hoppe went deep off the auxiliary scoreboard just above the wall in right-center.
“We hung in the game. We had the tying and winning run on the bag, we just didn’t come through,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.
New York appeared as if it was going to break things open early when its first three batters got aboard, only to be done in by an unconventional double play.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a high popup near the bag at second. Umpires called an infield fly, but Soto bumped into Angels shortstop Zach Neto with his hip as he tried to get back to second base, causing Neto to lose track of the ball, which landed in the infield.
Second base umpire Vic Carapazza ruled that Soto interfered with Neto, leading to the second out.
The Yankees had runners on first and second with one in the second, but LeMahieu’s grounder hit Rizzo as he was running to third for an automatic out.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: INF Kevin Smith ended up accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre. The team announced on Tuesday that he had elected free agency.
UP NEXT
A matchup of left-handers in the series finale. Carlos Rodón (6-2, 2.95 ERA) goes for the Yankees, while the Angels counter with Patrick Sandoval (2-7, 5.60 ERA).
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