New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes (65) throws against the Texas Rangers during the second inning at Yankee Stadium.
Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
Nestor Cortes worked his magic from the mound and Anthony Rizzo drove in the only run of the game for the New York Yankees in a 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday to win the three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Cortes did his part for the Bombers in an outing that set a new career high for the 27-year-old in innings pitched. The left-hander went hitless until the eighth inning before Eli White recorded the Rangers’ first hit of the game on a line drive to right-center field.
The Yankees starter had been looking for New York’s first no-hitter since Corey Klueber recorded one against the Texas Rangers on May 19 of last season.
Cortes ended up pitching 7 1/3 innings, striking out 11 batters and allowing just one hit in the 103-pitch effort. Clay Holmes entered the game to close out the inning without allowing a run.
Rizzo drove in the only run of the game with a 0-2 double to left field that drove in Aaron Judge from first base. Rizzo was called out while trying to extend the double to a triple.
Aroldis Chapman closed out the game in the ninth, earning his seventh save of the season. Holmes was credited with the Bombers’ victory.
Cortes made quick work of the Rangers from the start of the game, retiring the team in order in four of the first five innings on Monday afternoon. The only problem in that stretch came when he walked Jonah Heim to start the second inning.
A walk by White in the sixth was Cortes’s only error in that inning and he was able to close out the sixth by striking out Adolis Garcia on three pitches.
Texas came close to ending the no-hitter in the seventh when Cortes walked Corey Seager and Heim reached on a force out at second. Nick Solak walked to put runners on first and second, but Cortes got out of the jam by striking out Andy Ibanez and rolling Kole Calhoun.
It looked like the Yankees would open the game in the fifth inning after loading the bases with just one out: Joey Gallo got the first hit of the game with a line drive to right field.
After Brock Burke entered the game midway through the fifth for Rangers starter Jon Gray, Jose Trevino lined to left to put runners on first and second. DJ LeMahieu was then walked to load the bases for Aaron Judge.
Burke carried Judge to a full count before getting him to bite a 94 mph sinker for the second out of the inning and Rizzo struck out looking for a six-pitch at-bat.
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Gray left the game midway through the fifth after a team coach came out to look at him. The Yankees managed just two hits from Gray before the Rangers made the trade.