Luis Gil finished off a spectacular May in dominating fashion Wednesday, logging eight innings for the first time in his big league career. Gil boasted more than endurance in the Yankees’ 2-1 win, as he held the Angels to two hits while walking two and striking out nine over 95 pitches. “I was really happy to go out there and have that opportunity,” Gil told reporters, via the YES Network, before thanking catcher Jose Trevino for his work behind the plate.
The Halos’ lone run came on a Logan O’Hoppe homer in the seventh, but that didn’t stop Brad Ausmus — Aaron Boone had been ejected in the first inning — from sending Gil out for one extra inning. Gil said that he would have loved to pitch the final frame had he had more pitches to work with. “Maybe another opportunity I’ll have less pitches and the manager will give me that shot to go out there and battle the ninth,” Gil said.
Gil, tasked with filling the fifth slot in the Yankees’ rotation after Gerrit Cole succumbed to elbow inflammation, now has a 1.99 ERA over 11 starts and 63.1 innings.
He recorded a microscopic 0.70 ERA, 44 strikeouts and six wins over six starts in May. A flamethrower who has improved his command as the season has played out, Gil has permitted three hits or less in nine of his 11 starts.
He leads the majors with 4.1 hits allowed per nine innings. While it didn’t seem to be a concern on Wednesday, there’s been a lot of talk about watching Gil’s workload, as this is essenti.