Gil Better, But Judge & Yanks Can’t Climb Out Of Hole. Cincinnati 5 NY 4

July 3, 2024 paperbacklou 2024 0

Luis Gil looked better than he had in his last 2 starts — but ultimately he and Caleb Ferguson dug a 5-0 hole that Aaron Judge and the Yankee offense could not climb out of, as the Yanks lost 5-4 on a beautiful Tuesday night in the Bronx.

Judge gave it a good shot — going 3-4 with his MLB-leading 32nd homer — but the Yanks went out 1-2-3 in the 9th, just before Judge, and Juan Soto before him, could get up again. Anthony Volpe continued his mini slump — going 0-5 — but at least he did not strike out; maybe a sign he is making contact again.

Gil started off great — mowing down 9 in a row in pitching a shutout first 3 innings, but started to lose control in the 4th, and was knocked out in the 5th, down 3-0. Caleb Ferguson came in with gasoline to immediately make it a 5-0 game.

The Yanks were burned by Cincinnati’s star young shortstop, Elly De La Cruz, who hit a triple and a 2-run homer.

The Yanks got good relief pitching from Jake Cousins, Tommy Kahnle, and Luke Weaver — to keep them in the game.

“I think he’s getting closer to getting back to who he was,” said catcher Jose Trevino about Gil. “He’s getting back to his locations; the slider is coming along; the changeup is back. He was locating his pitches; trusting his fastball. We got into a little trouble there, and they got the best of us.”

“You gotta remember this is really his first time starting full time in the big leagues,” added Trevino. “I think these are just some growing pains he’s going through.”

NY drops to 54-33 and fall a game behind Baltimore in the AL East. Cincinnati improves to 40-45.

1. Gil Looks Better But Can’t Last the 5th

Luis Gil didn’t make it through the 5th inning for the 3rd straight start — although there were brite spots to this one. He walked Jonathan India on 4 pitches to start the game, but then retired 9 in a row — pitching a shutout into the 4th inning.

In the 4th however, he allowed a leadoff triple to Elly De La Cruz, and that seemed to break his concentration. After getting a groundout to score Cruz and make it 1-0 Cincinnati, Gil walked the next 2 batters, before getting consecutive fly outs to end the inning.

The Yankee offense however, went out 1-2-3 in 9 pitches against Cincinnati starter Graham Ashcraft — putting Gil right back on the mound to start the 5th.

And that hurt.

Ironically it was the only inning where Ashcraft didn’t allow at least one baserunner.

Gil hit Stuart Fairchild with a pitch to start the 5th, then allowed a 2-run homer to Will Benson and it was 3-0 Cincinnati. Gil hit Jonathan India with a pitch and was relieved.

2. Caleb Comes In with Gasoline

In came Caleb Ferguson in a 3-0 game with India on 1st, and he allowed a homer to De La Cruz for a 5-0 game. Caleb allowed a double before retiring the side.

Ferguson’s ERA is now at 5.67 — the radio broadcast mentioned that it was the highest ERA among relief pitchers in the American League with over a certain amount of innings pitched.

3. Yanks Break Through in 6th

The Yanks had baserunners in every inning against Graham Ashcraft — except the bottom of the 4th when they needed to give Gil a breather:

  1. Judge got on with a 2-out single in the 1st,
  2. Ben Rice got on due to a 1-out error in the 2nd, then Trent Grisham reached with a 2-out bunt single, but the Yanks failed to score,
  3. Juan Soto worked a 1-out walk in the 3rd,
  4. Gleyber Torres grounded out on 2 pitches, Ben Rice struck out on 4 pitches, and DJ LeMahieu flied out on 3 pitches in the 4th when the Yanks needed to give Gil a breather,
  5. Trent Grisham reached on an error leading off the 5th, but 3 straight groundouts ended the inning.

Finally the Yanks got to Grisham in the 6th — Aaron Judge led off with a single, Alex Verdugo walked, and Gleyber Torres singled in a run.

 

Ben Rice then doubled in Verdugo and Torres and it was a 5-3 game.

4. Judge Makes it 5-4 with 34th HR in 7th

With 2 outs in the 7th, Aaron Judge made it a 5-4 game with a 381-foot line shot rocket to left — the ball caught by an ecstatic Yankee fan.

Yankee fan @MaddlxDJ64 had one of the best reactions to catching a homerun ball ever — and Jom Boy zeroed in on it.

@MaddlxDJ64 posted a photo of the ball on Twitter:

And again later posted a photo with his buddy:

5. Cousins, Kahnle, Weaver Keep Yanks In It

Jake Cousins, Tommy Kahnle, and Luke Weaver pitched a shutout inning each to keep the Yanks in the game.

6. DJ Gives One a Ride in 8th

DJ LeMahieu gave one a ride with 2 outs in the bottom of the 8th, but it was caught a few feet from the wall in centerfield.

The Yanks needed to get a baserunner on in the 9th to bring up Juan Soto, with Aaron Judge behind him — but Cincinnati’s ace reliever — Alexis Diaz — who came in with a 4.75 ERA — struck out Grisham, got Austin Wells to fly out, and Anthony Volpe to pop out for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401569746

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