Juan Soto’s two home runs and Luis Gil’s 14 strikeouts propel the Yankees to victory over the White Sox.
NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto hit multiple home runs for the first time with the Yankees, and Luis Gil struck out a career-high 14 batters, leading New York to a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. This win extended the Yankees’ winning streak to a season-high six games.
Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Trevino also homered for New York, which has won 12 of its last 14 games, bringing its record to an AL-best 32-15. Soto went 4-for-4 with a walk, raising his batting average to .317 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs.
“It was a fun day,” Soto said, bouncing back after going 3-for-25 during a recent six-game road trip.
The Yankees have won 12 of their first 15 series this season, matching a feat they last accomplished in 2002.
Soto tied the game in the first inning with a 417-foot home run, added an RBI single in the second, and hit another solo homer in the fifth with a 437-foot shot. This marked Soto’s 18th multi-homer game. Along with Stanton and Aaron Judge, Soto made the Yankees the first team this year with three players having double-digit home runs.
Gil (5-1) earned his fourth straight win, allowing one run on five hits and one walk in six innings. Over his last four starts, he has given up just two runs in 24 1/3 innings.
“I have a great professor in Gerrit Cole,” Gil said through a translator, referring to his Cy Young Award-winning teammate. “He’s always around and always giving me pointers.”
Gil, averaging 96.4 mph with his fastball, set a Yankees rookie record for strikeouts, surpassing the 13 strikeouts by Orlando Hernández on August 13, 1998. Hernández threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Saturday.
“I was very happy to meet him after the game,” Gil said. “For him to be here and connect after the game — great.”
After a challenging 29-pitch first inning, Gil struck out seven consecutive batters starting in the fourth inning, a streak ended by Eloy Jiménez’s single.
“Maybe his best fastball of the year, which is saying something,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
Brad Keller (0-2) allowed a career-high four home runs, giving up six runs (five earned) and seven hits in four-plus innings. Chicago batters struck out 16 times, dropping the White Sox to a major league-worst 4-18 on the road and 14-32 overall.
Andrew Benintendi’s RBI double gave Chicago an early lead, but Gil stranded the bases loaded with a strikeout of Korey Lee.
Soto tied the score, Judge reached on an infield hit, and Stanton’s RBI double gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Stanton later homered in the fourth inning, marking his 11th of the season and fifth in nine games.
**TRAINER’S ROOM**
White Sox: INF Bryan Ramos, on the IL with a strained left quadriceps, may start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Charlotte soon, according to manager Pedro Grifol.
Yankees: RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow nerve inflammation and edema) threw a bullpen session, simulating game conditions by taking a break mid-session. “That’s a big, big one for him to check that box,” pitching coach Matt Blake said. Cole was throwing in the low 90 mph range and might soon progress to batting practice. He was told to stop throwing in mid-March and threw his first bullpen on May 4. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner will likely need four or five Minor League rehab starts, simulating Spring Training.
