Yankees 5-2 Angels: Early runs and solid relief secure Bombers’ doubleheader opener

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New York Yankees 5-2 Los Angeles Angels

The New York Yankees secured a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday afternoon in the first game of their doubleheader, continuing their strong winning streak.

How it hapenned

On a day when the Yankees were slated to play at least 18 innings, they began with a hard-fought first nine in the Bronx. The game was played under soggy conditions, and Luis Gil’s outing was far from smooth or efficient, but the Yankees managed to secure a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in the first game of their doubleheader on Wednesday.

Luis Gil, who was tasked with starting the opener, needed a career-high 107 pitches to make it through five innings. Despite the high pitch count, he kept the Angels off the scoreboard by stranding seven runners. The rookie right-hander walked five batters, allowed just two hits, and struck out six, making clutch pitches when it mattered most. His outing began with a 30-pitch first inning and a 25-pitch second, but the Yankees’ offense provided him with an early lead to work with.

Alex Verdugo kicked off the bottom of the first with a double off Angels right-hander Davis Daniel. One out later, Aaron Judge drew a full-count walk, setting the stage for Austin Wells. Though the walk to Judge was not entirely intentional, Wells made Daniel pay by driving a single the opposite way, putting the Yankees up 1-0. With two outs, Anthony Volpe added to the lead, roping a double to left field that made it 2-0.

In the second inning, Oswaldo Cabrera, making his seventh start of the season at second base to give Gleyber Torres a rest, extended the lead by crushing a solo home run to right field. Manager Aaron Boone had said before the game that Cabrera had “earned some opportunities” with his strong play in limited action. After going 1-for-3 with a walk on Wednesday, Cabrera is now batting .302 with an .819 OPS over his past 18 games.

The Yankees missed a prime scoring chance in the third inning, when Wells and Judge reached second and third with no outs, but they bounced back in the fourth. Ben Rice led off with a walk and scored one out later on Verdugo’s double to the gap, making it 4-0. Judge followed with a sharp single through the left side, giving the Yankees a 5-0 lead.

The Angels finally got on the board in the seventh inning when Zach Neto crushed a two-run homer off reliever Jake Cousins. This prompted the Yankees to turn to Luke Weaver and Clay Holmes for the final two innings. Both relievers struck out a pair in perfect frames, sealing the 5-2 victory for New York.

Roster

Up next

With this win, the Yankees will look to complete the doubleheader sweep when they take on the Angels in the evening game, with Will Warren set to make his second career start against Carson Fulmer.

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