BOSTON (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his 362nd career homer to pass Joe DiMaggio on the Yankees’ all-time list, and Luis Gil pitched six no-hit innings to beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Friday night and help New York expand its edge in the race for home-field advantage in the American League playoffs.
Gil (4-1) left with a no-hitter intact after six innings and 93 pitches, but reliever Fernando Cruz gave up a home run to Nate Eaton with one out in the seventh — one of Boston’s two hits. There has not been a no-hitter in the majors this season.
The Yankees opened a 1 1/2-game lead over the Red Sox in the race for the AL’s top wild-card berth, which would give them potential home-field advantage over the Red Sox in the first round of the postseason.
A day after hitting two homers to tie DiMaggio for fourth on the Yankees’ career home run list, in the first inning that was since his 470-foot shot last July.
New York made it 2-0 in the third after Ben Rice was awarded first base on catcher’s interference. Cody Bellinger followed with an RBI single to score Judge, who had walked.
Gil struck out four and walked four. He also had two wild pitches and a balk. David Bednar pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.
Lucas Giolito (10-4) allowed two runs — one earned — in 5 2/3 innings.
Key moment
Boston put runners on first and second with nobody out in the fifth — still without a hit. With one out, they moved up on a double-steal attempt that forced Gil into a balk. But Gil struck out Ceddanne Rafaela and then got Jarren Duran to line out to end the inning.
Key stat
Carlos Narváez has been called for catcher’s interference six times, the most in the majors. Yankees manager Aaron Boone thought he might have committed one in the first inning as well, but the umpires ruled that Boone waited too long to ask for a review.
Up next
Yankees LHP Max Fried (16-5) will face Boston RHP Brayan Bello (11-6) on Saturday.
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