Yankees' Gerrit Cole allows two hits, fans 10 in shutout of Twins

Gerrit Cole certainly has been as good during his time with the Yankees as he was Sunday.

But he’s never been better.

Cole added to his terrific start to the 2023 season as he pitched a two-hitter to beat the Twins, 2-0, at the Stadium.

“That’s a big-time performance right there,” Aaron Boone said after Cole improved to 4-0 with a 0.95 ERA through his first four starts. “Special pitcher, and he’s just in a really locked-in, focused place.”

Cole, who struck out 10, walked one and pitched to only two batters more than the minimum, did not allow a hit until Donovan Solano’s two-out single in the fifth. Michael A. Taylor singled in the sixth.

It was Cole’s fourth career shutout in 271 starts and first since July 10, 2021, when he blanked the Astros, 1-0, in Houston on a career-high 129 pitches.

Sunday was far less of a grind. Cole, who became the first pitcher in franchise history to record a sub-1.00 ERA and at least 30 strikeouts through his first four appearances of a season (since earned runs became an official stat in 1913), needed only 109 pitches (73 strikes).

“Good command,” he said. “You’re always giving yourself a chance to have success when you’re executing and commanding pitches.”

Cole has allowed 13 hits and eight walks in 28 1⁄3 innings for a 0.74 WHIP. He has struck out 32.

Sunday marked Cole’s 23rd double-digit strikeout game with the Yankees, tying Ron Guidry for the most in franchise history. Cole broke Guidry’s single-season strikeout record (248) last season with 257.

“First of all, I’m happy we got the win,” Cole said of tying Guidry, who still serves as a guest instructor during spring training. “It’s special. Ron’s such a good person and a great human being and a great Yankee. So any time you’re mentioned with him, it’s pretty special.”

DJ LeMahieu, playing his second game since missing three straight because of quadriceps tightness, drove in both runs with a two-out RBI single in the third and his second homer of the season in the sixth.

“About as good as you can pitch,” LeMahieu said of Cole. “He was impressive and I’m glad he could finish it off there for the [complete game].”

Twins righthander Pablo Lopez allowed two runs, seven hits and a walk with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Cole, after a blink-and-you-missed-it five-pitch eighth left him at 98 pitches, returned to the mound in the ninth with a chance for the complete game. He retired Taylor on a pop-up to second, Edouard Julien on a fly to left and Carlos Correa, who came into the game 6-for-10 with two homers against Cole, on a fly to right.

“I think it’s just old-school,” Cole said of throwing a complete game, an increasingly rare occurrence in the sport for years now. “We had our work cut out for us today. We were facing a great team and a great pitcher. More satisfied with the win.”

The Yankees (10-6) won the final two games of the four-game series after the Twins (10-6) took the first two games.

After Cole struck out the side in a perfect top of the third, the Yankees put a third runner in scoring position in as many innings in the bottom half, and this time they came through.

Aaron Judge walked with one out and Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch for the 204th time in his career, which tied him for eighth (with Chase Utley) on the all-time list. Gleyber Torres struck out, but LeMahieu singled to right for the only run Cole needed.

“I always feel that way with him,’’ LeMahieu said. “But he was pretty locked in today. It felt like we didn’t need a whole lot.”