Yankees' Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes shut out Cubs

CHICAGO — Luis Gil made his case to remain in  the Yankees’ rotation down the stretch — and  into the postseason — with six innings of one-hit ball Friday afternoon in his return from the injured list.

Clarke Schmidt had his opportunity to do the same on Saturday. That went exceedingly well, too.

Schmidt, making his first start since being placed on the IL on May 30 with a right lat strain, allowed four hits in 4 2/3 innings in the Yankees' 2-0 victory over the Cubs in front of 40,080 on a cool and blustery afternoon at Wrigley Field.

“He had all the pitches working for him, and I think he’s only going to get better and sharper,”  Austin Wells said. “It looked the same [before Schmidt got hurt], if not better.”

Schmidt, on a pitch count that was significantly less than Gil's on Friday — the latter’s was roughly 90 — walked one and struck out two in his 75-pitch outing. At the time of his injury, Schmidt was a standout for a rotation that was one of the sport’s best during the first 2 ½ months of the season, going 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 11 starts. He lowered his ERA to 2.34 on Saturday.

“Early in the season, we had two or three months we were probably the best rotation in baseball, I would say, numbers-wise,” Schmidt said. “I wouldn’t say that’s out of the realm now. We have a lot of depth. Really exciting for this staff.”

Nestor Cortes, piggybacking off of Schmidt before being slotted back into the rotation at some point during next weekend’s series against the Red Sox, was terrific in relief. The lefthander, who is unlikely to be in the rotation come October because of a bevy of healthy starters, allowed all of one baserunner in 4 1/3 innings, that coming on a walk.

Cortes (9-10), who acknowledged being “upset” at having his routine disrupted with a foray  to the bullpen to follow Schmidt, didn’t let that show on the field. Cortes, who struck out three, retired the last 10 he faced.

“I’m never going to back down from a challenge. I’m not going to leave my teammates out to dry,” Cortes said. “You’re always going to get my best effort no matter if I’m happy or not. And that’s what I did today. I just came out there and proved I could be put in any situation. From here on out, if that’s my role, then I’ll accept it.”

“They’re all capable,” Aaron Boone said of his glut of starters, also noting that the return of reliever Ian Hamilton on Saturday should further solidify what has been an up-and-down bullpen since mid-June. “Feel like we’re moving the needle to be a little better as a complete staff.”

Yankees pitchers have thrown two straight shutouts and have held the Cubs to 5-for-57 hitting and six walks with 18 strikeouts.

The Yankees (82-60) moved back into first place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of the Orioles (82-61), who lost to Tampa Bay.

Schmidt took the mound with a lead. After Gleyber Torres improved to 21-for-61 (.344) since being moved to leadoff by reaching on an infield single to begin the game, Juan Soto walked and a wild pitch advanced both runners. Aaron Judge struck out swinging at a sweeper, but Wells’ groundout to second gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Cody Bellinger singled to center with one out in the fourth for the Cubs' second hit, but Schmidt got Nico Hoerner to ground into a 5-4 forceout and Wells threw out Bellinger trying to steal second for the third out.

Wells also threw out Pete Crow-Armstrong, who singled with one out in the fifth, trying to steal. That proved important when Patrick Wisdom followed with a wind-blown triple down the rightfield line that gave Soto some trouble, but Cortes relieved Schmidt and got Christian Bethancourt to foul out to Anthony Volpe.

“I feel like the last few years, my throwing has gotten better throughout the year as the season’s progressed,” said Wells, drafted as a hit-first catcher. He quickly won over the pitching staff in spring training with his work on the defensive side of the ball and continues to show steady improvement in that area.

Judge led off the sixth with his team-leading 115th walk and Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled with two outs. After Drew Smyly replaced Cubs starter Javier Assad, Judge and Chisholm pulled off a double steal, and when Bethancourt's wide throw went down the leftfield line, Judge scored to make it 2-0.