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09/07 16:34 CDT Schmidt and Cortes combine for a 4-hitter as the Yankees blank
the Cubs once again
Schmidt and Cortes combine for a 4-hitter as the Yankees blank the Cubs once
again
By SARAH TROTTO
Associated Press
CHICAGO (AP) --- Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes combined on a four-hitter,
and the New York Yankees clinched their 32nd straight winning season by
blanking the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Saturday.
Schmidt pitched 4 2/3 innings of four-hit ball in his first big league game
since May 26. Cortes (9-10) closed it out in his first relief appearance since
2021.
Schmidt had been sidelined by a right lat strain. He threw 75 pitches, 44 for
strikes.
New York posted its second straight shutout to secure its first series win
since it took two of three against Colorado from Aug. 23-25. The 32 straight
seasons with a winning record is the second-longest such period in major league
history, trailing a run of 39 consecutive seasons for the Yankees from 1926-64.
New York (82-60) was a half-game back of AL East-leading Baltimore heading into
Saturday's action.
Chicago (72-70) has lost four of five on a crucial homestand as it tries to
rally in the race for the third NL wild card. It beat Pittsburgh 12-0 on
Wednesday, but it has managed a total of three other runs in its last five
games, getting shut out three times.
Cubs right-hander Javier Assad (7-5) allowed one earned run and three hits in 5
2/3 innings.
New York scored its first run when Austin Wells drove in Gleyber Torres with a
groundout in the first. The Yankees made it 2-0 in the sixth when Aaron Judge
stole third as part of a double steal and scampered home on catcher Christian
Bethancourt's throwing error.
Judge, who leads the majors with 51 homers, went 0 for 3 with a walk. He hasn't
homered in 11 games in his longest streak of the season.
The Cubs had their best scoring opportunity in the fifth. Pete Crow-Armstrong
singled with one out, but was caught stealing. Patrick Wisdom then tripled to
right, but he was stranded when Cortes got Bethancourt to foul out.
Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo heard more cheers in his second game back
at Wrigley Field since he was traded by Chicago to New York in July 2021. He
tipped his cap before his first at-bat and reached second on Crow-Armstrong's
dropped catch in center.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: Schmidt and RHP Ian Hamilton (right lat strain) were reinstated from
the 60-day injured list before the game. RHPs Phil Bickford and Nick Burdi were
designated for assignment.
Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (left elbow tendinitis) was scheduled to play catch
Saturday. He went on the 15-day IL on Wednesday. ... RHP Hayden Wesneski (right
forearm strain) threw an inning at Triple-A Iowa.
UP NEXT
RHP Gerrit Cole (6-3, 3.65 ERA) is slated to start for New York on Sunday on
his 34th birthday. RHP Jameson Taillon (9-8. 3.66 ERA) takes the mound for
Chicago. Taillon went 22-11 with a 4.08 ERA with the Yankees in 2021 and 2022.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
