Luis Gil’s career-best night lifts Yankees to win over Orioles

BALTIMORE — One way to combat the Yankees only scoring two runs?

Not giving any up.

Luis Gil made that look easy Wednesday night, turning in the best start of his young career by shutting down the Orioles and lifting the Yankees to a 2-0 win at Camden Yards.

Gil pitched into the seventh inning for the first time in his big league career, throwing 6 ¹/₃ scoreless innings and giving up just two singles and a walk while striking out five.

The 25-year-old right-hander outdueled former NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, making Oswaldo Cabrera’s two-run home run in the fifth inning stand up.

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“Anytime he goes out there, he’s usually got some overwhelming stuff and the ability to do what he did tonight,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Man, what a great tone he set for us. I mean, he’s got some poison coming out there at you.”

Clay Holmes finished off the win by recording a five-out save. Ian Hamilton had started the eighth inning but walked a batter and hit another before getting the first out.

Boone then called on Holmes to face the top of the order with the game on the line and he delivered by striking out Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschmann on seven pitches.

Holmes then mowed down the Orioles (19-11) in the ninth to record his 10th save of the year and give the Yankees (20-12) a chance to split the four-game series on Thursday afternoon.

Cabrera gave the Yankees their first lead of the series in the fifth inning when he jumped on a first-pitch inside cutter and snuck it just inside the right-field foul pole — it got stuck in the metal webbing of the pole — for a two-run home run.

“We know [Burnes] is a really nice pitcher,” said Cabrera, who had two of the Yankees’ four hits on the night, both off of Burnes. “We have to show that respect for him, but we are working on this side, too.”

Clay Holmes picks up big five-out save in Yankees’ victory

That includes Gil.

Coming off his worst outing of the season, when he gave up five runs against the Brewers on Friday night, Gil was dominant.

Leaning on his overpowering fastball, he did not walk a hitter until the seventh inning, then stranded him with a pair of strikeouts.

Gil had been working with pitching coach Matt Blake on refining his mechanics, after walking 19 batters through 24 ²/₃ innings coming into Wednesday, and it paid off for him in a big way against one of the game’s most dangerous lineups.

“It doesn’t matter who you’re facing,” Gil said through an interpreter. “Once you’re locked in and you’re concentrating on what you want to do, that’s really it, regardless of who you’re facing. The level of concentration for me has to be high and it’s really important. That’s what I focused on.”

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Cabrera noticed that concentration well before first pitch, though.

“I don’t know if you’re going to believe this, but from the [minute] Gil came to the bus, I knew this day would be special for him,” Cabrera said. “He was so concentrated, he was so serious on the bus. He’s the type of Dominican guy like funny guy, happy all the time. When I stepped on the bus and see that guy concentrated, in my mind, I was like, ‘Watch out, this guy’s gonna do great things today.’ I know he’s getting better every time.”

Gil had made his major league debut by facing the Orioles and throwing six scoreless innings on Aug. 6, 2021.

But those were the rebuilding Orioles who finished that year 52-110 and that was Gil before Tommy John surgery.

On Wednesday, with the Yankees having dropped the first two games of the series and facing the Orioles’ ace, Gil stepped up and delivered.

“Anytime you’re playing in your division, especially the American League East, these games get heavy,” Boone said. “Especially what the Orioles have become over the last couple years, you know you got to play well. You’re facing their ace, having dropped a couple already. It’s definitely nice and gives us a chance to salvage the series [Thursday].”

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