BALTIMORE — Just in time for the All-Star break, Luis Gil is pitching like an All-Star again.
The right-hander started the season with an impressive 14-game stretch before a three-game stretch that was bad enough to cost him a spot in the Midsummer Classic in Texas this week, but he closed out the first half of the season with two straight solid performances.
On another hot and humid day at Camden Yards against the struggling first-place Orioles, Gill allowed just one run in six innings and the Yankees won 6-1, marking their first consecutive wins in a month.
And now Gill has earned a win, something he didn’t get to do in his last outing, last Sunday against the Red Sox, when he gave up just one run over 6 2/3 innings in a 3-0 Yankees loss.
Gill didn’t dominate Saturday, but he was effective and Aaron Boone said an improved slider was a major reason he was able to hold off Baltimore despite not necessarily using his best pitch.
“The slider was really good again,” Boone said. “It just says a lot about how well he can pitch it, even when it’s not perfect.”
Boone noted that Gill changed the grip on his slider a few weeks ago and said, “The results are clear. It’s definitely a key component pitch for him.”
Gill, through a translator, said he’s “got used to” the slider since changing his grip.
“I didn’t make any mistakes,” Gill said. “I was happy with the accuracy of my throws.”
Catcher Austin Wells said the slider gives Gill “another plus pitch” along with his four-seam fastball.
He was also helped by the Yankees’ offense exploding early on.
Gill benefited from a four-run first inning that gave the Yankees a lead. He gave up two singles in the bottom of the first, including a pop out by Ryan O’Hearn and a fly out to left field by Jordan Westberg, but managed to hold the other team in check.
In the fourth inning, O’Hearn led off with a triple and scored on a Ryan Mountcastle grounder before giving up a run.
And it was a completely different performance than Gill had against the Orioles on June 20, the start of a tough three-game stretch of starts for Gill.
Gill gave up a season-high seven runs in just 1 1/3 innings that day.
He gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Mets on June 26 and four runs in just four innings against the Reds on July 2 before a comeback game against Boston in the Bronx.
The start has Boone optimistic that the worst is over, thanks to the mechanical tweaks Gill has made with pitching coach Matt Blake.
“His last game was [very] “It’s pretty much what we’ve seen the first few months of the season,” the manager said before the game. “He found his form right away in the first inning and nailed his fastball. It’s all about form.”
Barring last-minute changes to the AL All-Star roster, Gill won’t be in Texas, but it’s more important to the Yankees that he pitch well down the stretch.
When asked if he was worried about when he would be able to get back on track during his nightmarish three-game streak, Gill replied, “No matter what sport you play, there are always moments when things don’t go the way you want them to. When you experience those moments, you have to believe in yourself even more and get stronger.”
Boone called the two consecutive strong games before the break “hopefully a good sign,” adding that he expects Gill to improve from the experience he’s had so far.
“He’s been focused and great all year. [and] “The challenges he’s had, the learning moments,” Boone said. “There’s a lot to gain from the experience side of things. He continues to rise to the challenge.”
