Luis Gil pitches 6 sharp innings as the Yankees blank the Cubs 3-0

CHICAGO (AP) — Luis Gil pitched six sparkling innings in his return from a back injury, and the New York Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Friday.

Aaron Judge hit an RBI double and scored on Austin Wells' two-run single as New York scored three times in the third inning in its first game at Wrigley Field since 2017. Judge went 1 for 3 with a walk in his 10th straight game without a home run — his longest streak of the season.

The Yankees (81-60) improved to 2-2 on a six-game trip that began with a difficult series at Texas. They trailed AL East-leading Baltimore by a half-game going into Friday's action.

It was New York's first shutout since Aug. 23 against Colorado and No. 12 on the season overall.

“It was a good day,” manager Aaron Boone said.

The Cubs (72-69) lost for the third time in four games since a successful road trip put them back in the conversation for the third NL wild card.

“I thought Gil threw the ball well, but we got to do a better job,” manager Craig Counsell said. “No leadoff hitters on. No multiple men on base in an inning. That’s a tough formula just to score obviously.”

Chicago left-hander Jordan Wicks (2-3) allowed five hits and walked four in five innings in his second start since returning from a right oblique strain. The Cubs' lineup also was shut down by Gil (13-6) and three relievers on a breezy afternoon.

Gil allowed Chicago's only hit — Cody Bellinger's fourth-inning double — in his first big league start since Aug. 20. The right-hander struck out seven and walked two.

“The more innings that I pitched, felt better,” Gil said through a translator. “I was feeling more comfortable, more loose on the mound. The arm was feeling good and in a good rhythm.”

Gil was placed on the 15-day injured list last month with a strained lower back. He is up to a career-high 130 2/3 innings after missing most of the previous two seasons due to Tommy John surgery.

“It took him a little bit to get the heater going, but I thought it improved the entire game,” Boone said.

Jake Cousins and Tommy Kahnle each pitched an inning for New York before Luke Weaver handled the ninth for his first career save in 199 major league appearances. The Yankees are going with a closer-by-committee approach after Clay Holmes surrendered a game-ending grand slam in a 7-4 loss at Texas on Tuesday night.

Anthony Rizzo went 1 for 3 with a walk in his first game at Wrigley since he was traded by Chicago to New York in July 2021. The big first baseman, who helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series, got a warm reception that featured multiple standing ovations from the crowd.

“It was just cool to be here. A lot of smiles,” Rizzo said. “It was great to hear the seventh-inning stretch and just see Wrigley being Wrigley.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: It was Wells' first game since he was hit by a pitch near his right wrist during Monday night's 8-4 win at Texas.

UP NEXT

Right-handers Clarke Schmidt (5-3, 2.52 ERA) and Javier Assad (7-4, 3.21 ERA) take the mound on Saturday. Schmidt is making his first major league start for New York since May 26. He had been sidelined by a right lat strain. Assad is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his last three starts for Chicago.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Jay Cohen, The Associated Press