
Luis Gil was great — 6 innings of 5-hit, 1-run ball on a HOT Saturday afternoon, and the Yankee offense exploded on Oriole ace Grayson Rodriguez with 4 runs in the 1st due mainly to a 3-run homer by Austin Wells, and back-to-back solo homers by Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in the 5th — en route to a 6-1 win at Camden Yards.
But the win was marred by the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump which happened at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania while the Yankee game was in the 7th inning. All eyes turned to Twitter for coverage — Fox Sports, nationally covering the game, did not provide breaking coverage of the assassination attempt, and unless we missed it, did not even mention it.
The Yankees game became a secondary note — as the thoughts of the majority went to Trump, and how fucked up it is for ‘the powers that be’ to try and take out a political threat.
Hours later — at just before 9pm, Trump truthed on Truth Social and anxieties started to relax back a bit that at least Trump was ok, for now, but the war that is upon us still fills the air.
“I’m just walking in to seeing it and seeing some of the imagery of it; it sounds like he’s ok,” said manager Aaron Boone when asked for his reaction to the assassination attempt afterwards. “That’s scary and terrible and awful, and hopefully he’s ok and whoever is involved in that is put away.”
And this morning, with the political air still heavy — one can turn back to baseball for some lighthearted relaxation and see the Yanks in a virtual tie for 1st again after beating Baltimore. The win puts them at 58-39; Baltimore is at 57-38.
1. Yanks & Wells Put Up 4 in the 1st
Grayson Rodriguez was the 11th overall pick of the 2018 draft, one of the bounties for the Orioles being one of the worst teams in baseball history between 2017-2021. He has arrived on the MLB scene the last year, and become one of the best young pitchers in baseball. The 24-year-old, 6’5 lefty was 11-3 3.52 coming into the game.
But the Yanks got to him in the top of the 1st with a leadoff single by lefty Alex Verdugo, and a 1-out walk to Aaron Judge (who Baltimore walked 4 times the prior day, in between Judge’s 33rd homer). Ben Rice struck out but with 2 outs, Gleyber Torres reached on a single up the middle, scoring Verdugo and it was 1-0 Yanks. A HUGE, CLUTCH, 2-out hit that got the Yanks rolling.
Gleyber Torres gets the Yanks on the board early! ?
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/aRu5PF6iD2 pic.twitter.com/YbbqtLB7ul
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 13, 2024
Austin Wells — another lefty like Verdugo — then gave the lefty Rodriguez a tough at bat — fouling off 3 straight 2-2 pitches, before Ripping a homer to right for a 4-0 lead.
Fire us up, 28. pic.twitter.com/m6xRDnqodj
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 13, 2024
2. Gil Great
Luis Gil took the mound with a 4-0 lead on the Hot, sunny day (humid with temps in 90’s) but did not wilt this time like he did 3 weeks ago in a similar hot afternoon start. This time, he got great defense from his infield to help him out of the hot sun in a tough 1st inning — and that made all the difference.
Gunnar Henderson led off with a single, and Anthony Santander ripped a 1-out single to put 2 Orioles on with 1 out. Ryan O’Hearn hit a pop up into no-man’s land in left center, and Anthony Volpe made a Derek Jeter-esq over-the-shoulder catch on it for the 2nd out.
Gil got a flyout to end the inning and kept the score 4-0 — a big turning point in the game.
Gil blew through the 2nd inning, striking out the last batter, Austin Hays, with a Wicked “what the heck was that” slider. Gil used his relatively new-found Wicked slider throughout the game to great effect.
Luis Gil, Wicked Sliders. ? pic.twitter.com/3GRdmAbP2n
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 13, 2024
Gil blew through the 3rd, striking out 2, and then did a PHEW in the 4th, allowing a leadoff triple to Ryan O’Hearn, and then after a groundout by Ryan Mountcastle scored a run to make it 4-1, allowed consecutive 2-out singles before getting the final out.
Gil got into a groove and like Gerrit Cole the game before — got better late in the start — blowing through the 5th and 6th with 1-2-3 innings.
A 7K day for Gil ? pic.twitter.com/5jsKjDEmfn
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 13, 2024
He left after 6 innings and 95 pitches; his line: 6 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 7 Ks, 1 walk. He wins to go 10-5 3.17.
Luis Gil, Vicious 90mph Back Foot Slider. ? pic.twitter.com/SAzNky1UjP
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 13, 2024
3. Soto & Judge Go Back-to-Back in 5th
Meanwhile Grayson Rodriguez started to do a Carlos Rodon — pitching great after allowing the 4 early runs. Rodriguez pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd, worked around a 1-out Judge double in the 3rd, and allowed only a 2-out single to Trent Grisham in the 4th.
But in the 5th, Juan Soto hit a 1-out, 426-foot BOMB to center for a 5-1 Yankee lead.
Solo shot for Soto ? pic.twitter.com/Q3H2uT5rJd
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 13, 2024
Aaron Judge, batting next, hit a similar 431-foot BOMB over the massively-extended leftfield wall for a 6-1 Yankee lead.
34 homers before the All-Star Break.
That’s a franchise record for The Cap ? pic.twitter.com/ZhyY4zjxeR
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 13, 2024
4. Hill Terrific
Tim Hill pitched a shutout 7th and 8th. He allowed a leadoff single to Adley Rutschman in the 8th, but immediately got Santander to hit into a double play.
5. Cousins Terrific
NFL star Kirk Cousins’ cousin Jake Cousins pitched a 1-2-3 shutout inning in the 9th for the old ballgame — although many fans weren’t watching anymore as all eyes were turned to twitter and latest news on the President Trump assassination attempt.
6. Donaldson the “Yankee of the Day”
Before the game started, former Yankee Josh Donaldson became Yankee of the Day for giving it to a Baltimore Oriole fan on Twitter for suggesting the Yanks were losers for hitting their player the day before.
No you hate the Yankees because year after year they have beat down your hopes and dreams of winning. First, by beating you on the field. Second, even if they have a down year they can go reload. Enjoy this little stretch your players will be a Yankee,Dodger,or Red Sox.
— Josh Donaldson (@BringerOfRain20) July 13, 2024
After the game, Donaldson was one of several former Yankees to publicly announce their support for President Trump.
— Josh Donaldson (@BringerOfRain20) July 13, 2024
Former Yankee Roger Clemens also tweeted support.
Speechless right now. Could not be more mad. I stand for this man. This picture says it all. The angry American is here and yall aren’t ready for it. pic.twitter.com/lN23VfHmT9
— Roger Clemens (@rogerclemens) July 13, 2024
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