Luis Gil bent plenty. But against a Dodgers lineup that consistently inflicts damage, he did not quite break.
The rookie Yankees starter was not particularly strong, but was strong enough in an outing that gave his offense a chance in the 11-4, season-saving (or at least season-extending) Game 4 win in The Bronx on Tuesday.
Gil was hit hard early on a night the Yankees could not expect excellence and would have accepted mere competence.
The 26-year-old made his World Series debut and pitched for just the second time this month, unleashed on 10 days rest, and survived an outing it did not look like he would.
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil #81 reacts to a fourth inning out. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post“For him to get into the fifth inning was big,” manager Aaron Boone said of Gil, who was charged with four runs allowed (one scoring after he left) on five hits with two walks in four-plus innings. “As much pen as we had to use [Monday] going into today and hopefully to play again [Wednesday], too, for him to give us a little bit of length and in a winning game not have to overtax too many people was big.”
The righty was not sharp but was not a disaster, either.
It sure looked like a disaster in the first inning. Mookie Betts snuck a double down the first-base line before Freddie Freeman swung and elicited a “not again” moan from the sold-out crowd.
Freeman cleared the right-field seats for his fourth home run in as many games in the series to give the Dodgers a two-run lead.
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil #81 throws a pitch during the second inning. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostMark Leiter Jr. began warming up in the second inning, but Gil settled in. He allowed two base runners from the second through the fourth, one erased on a double play.
If Gil tired in the fifth — an inning he started at 59 pitches — it would be understandable for a pitcher making just his second start since Sept. 28.
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Will Smith cracked an opposite-field homer to bring the Dodgers within two runs, and Gil walked Tommy Edman.
Boone began the bullpen merry-go-round with Tim Hill, who watched Edman eventually come around to score (on a potential double-play ball from Freeman, Gleyber Torres’ high flip to Anthony Volpe proving costly).
Four innings and four runs is not a statline to admire.
But as it turned out, the Yankees simply needed Gil to avoid an implosion, and the talented rookie cleared that bar.
If Gil, who will receive AL Rookie of the Year votes, winds up a star, remember this start.
“I think it’s better than what I dreamt,” Gil said through interpreter Marlon Abreu of his World Series debut. “What an experience for me. The trust in the team to allow me to go out there and pitch and compete.
“I’m extremely happy with it. The experience gained from those four innings, can’t say enough about it.”
