Gil wins 7th straight start as streaking Yankees shut down Twins again for victory
NEW YORK — Luis Gil pitched six shutout innings of one-hit ball to win his seventh consecutive start, Giancarlo Stanton launched a two-run homer and the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 5-1 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory.
Aaron Judge flared a two-run double and Gleyber Torres homered early on a 349-foot drive that glanced off the glove of a leaping Max Kepler at the right-field fence.
Returning home from a 7-2 trip to three California cities, the AL East leaders won for the 17th time in 21 games overall. They are tied with Philadelphia for the best record in the majors at 43-19.
"We've got just one plan, and that's to win everything," Torres said.
New York improved to 105-42 against the Twins since 2002 — the best record for any team against an opponent in its own league during that span. The Yankees outscored the Twins 14-1 last month in Minnesota, throwing consecutive shutouts to complete a three-game sweep.
The only run Minnesota managed this time came on a homer from Royce Lewis in his return from a 58-game injury absence. Lewis walked twice and connected in the seventh off Tommy Kahnle, snapping a 32-inning scoreless drought for the Twins against Yankees pitching.
"I just had a great focus day. I tend to do that when the lights are a little bit brighter," Lewis said after his first game at Yankee Stadium. "I like playing here."
Kahnle combined with fellow relievers Ian Hamilton and Luke Weaver to finish the two-hitter. Carlos Correa struck out all four times up for Minnesota. Christian Vázquez's third-inning double was the lone hit off Gil, pitching one day after his 26th birthday.
Gil has a 0.60 ERA in his last seven outings and is the first pitcher in Yankees history to throw at least six innings and allow no more than one run in seven straight starts.
"It's just hard to get a hit off him," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "His stuff really plays. You know, that fastball is real. The hitters show you that every time."
In the latest dominant outing of a sensational rookie season, Gil (8-1) struck out six, walked three and lowered his ERA to 1.82. He was selected the American League pitcher and rookie of the month for May.
"He's been unreal to watch all year," Stanton said.
Traded by Minnesota to the Yankees for outfielder Jake Cave in March 2018, the right-hander made his major league debut with New York in 2021 but spent last season on the injured list recovering from Tommy John surgery. He earned a spot in the rotation out of spring training as the replacement for injured ace Gerrit Cole.
"He's getting better and better," Torres said about Gil. "He's getting more mature every outing."
Minnesota starter Bailey Ober (5-4) pitched in tough luck, permitting three runs and three hits with a career-high four walks in five innings.
Judge singled in the eighth and scored on Stanton's homer into the second deck in left field off Caleb Thielbar to make it 5-1.
Stanton, Judge and Juan Soto are the first Yankees trio to each reach 15 home runs through the first 62 games of a season.
"It's unreal when we're all clicking on all cylinders," Stanton said. "We don't even have to click on all cylinders."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Lewis had been sidelined since opening day, when he sustained a severe quadriceps strain while running the bases in Kansas City.
Yankees: Cole pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings for Double-A Somerset in his first minor league rehab start since being sidelined in spring training by a right elbow injury. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner struck out five of the 11 batters he faced and walked none against Hartford, a Colorado Rockies affiliate. He allowed two hits and threw 45 pitches, 34 for strikes. ... The team extended the rehab assignment of OF Jasson Domínguez (Tommy John surgery) another 10 days and transferred him from Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Boone said Domínguez would be very close to ready right now if needed in the big leagues.
UP NEXT
Twins RHP Chris Paddack (4-2, 4.57 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Wednesday night against LHP Carlos Rodón (7-2, 3.09), who went six innings for a 5-1 win May 14 at Minnesota.