The Yankees are still on fire — even on a night when the bats are on ice.
The Yankees had only six hits and didn’t hit a home run at all, but still found a way to top the Orioles for the seventh time this year by the score of 3-2 thanks to a stellar effort by Gerrit Cole.
Cole held the Orioles to just two runs on six hits over seven innings. He walked none and struck out five.
This is a work of art. pic.twitter.com/G9WhO8fCZi
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 19, 2022
More importantly he made the three runs the Yankees scratched out in the top of the first inning stand up. The Orioles were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base against Cole.
“It’s been a great start, no question,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Just really pleased with how they’re doing it — in a lot of different ways. Tonight we leaned on the pitching and great baserunning.”
Great baserunning is right. Gleyber Torres’ two-out double brought in Anthony Rizzo to make it 1-0. Torres and John Donaldson would later score in the first inning on a wild pitch and an error by the Orioles to make it 3-0.
After a rough start to the season — where many were questioning whether Cole wasn’t the ace the Yankees thought they signed two off-seasons ago, Cole has given up only six earned run in his last 31.1 innings of work, or a 1.72 ERA. There is no question who is the ace. It’s Gerrit Cole.
The Yankees stand at 28-9, the best record in Major League Baseball. They have won four in a row; nine of their last 10, and 21 of their last 24 games.