Rookie Luis Gil survived five walks in five scoreless innings as the host New York Yankees recorded a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday in the opener of a doubleheader.
The Yankees won for the eighth time in nine games after dropping 23 of 33 from June 15-July 26 thanks to Gil’s gritty effort.
Gil (12-5) won his third straight decision while pitching in cool and rainy conditions at times. He allowed just two hits, with both coming in the second, as Anthony Rendon opened the inning with a single and Jo Adell added a two-out base hit.
It was the second time this season Gil issued at least five free passes, and on Wednesday, he matched his walk total from his previous three outings combined. Gil struck out six and threw 63 of his career-high 107 pitches for strikes.
Aaron Judge reached base four times and had an RBI single in the fourth for New York. He has a major-league-best 104 RBIs on the season.
Austin Wells added an RBI single during a two-run first after Judge drew a walk. Anthony Volpe had an RBI double in the first before Oswaldo Cabrera hit a solo shot in the second. Alex Verdugo contributed a run-scoring double in the fourth two batters before Judge singled home a run for a 5-0 lead.
Los Angeles’ Zach Neto hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Jake Cousins, who ended the inning by retiring Rendon on a flyout with a runner on second.
Luke Weaver struck out two in a perfect eighth and Clay Holmes breezed through a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save of the season.
Angels starter Davis Daniel (1-3) allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked two.
Rendon hadn’t played since July 26 due to low back inflammation and reached base three times on two hits and a walk.