The White Sox score was close in the end, but Gerrit Cole gave the Yankees enough early control to finish off a 3-2 win on Jul. 28, 2026. Cole worked six scoreless innings, and the Yankees held on despite a late push from the White Sox.
The victory mattered in the standings as much as it did on the field. With the win, the Yankees moved a full game ahead of the Rays in the American League East, a useful step as the first two games of the series played out in New York.
Cole set the tone early
Cole's night included a 24.2-inning scoreless streak and a key escape in the fourth inning, when he threw 32 pitches and got out of a bases-loaded threat. That inning was the biggest test of his outing, but he kept the White Sox from breaking through and stayed in control long enough for the Yankees to build their lead.
The Yankees did the damage in the second inning, when they scored three runs. That cushion proved important once the game tightened later, especially after David Bednar allowed a two-run home run in the ninth inning to make the finish much less comfortable.
What the win means
Even with the late drama, the Yankees still came away with the result they needed. The club had fallen behind on Monday night in the previous game and still managed to win, so this was another example of the Yankees responding in a tight spot against the White Sox.
For Cole, the outing was another reminder of why New York leans on him in big series. He finished with a strikeout of Braden Montgomery and gave the Yankees six scoreless innings, the kind of start that can steady a team when the bullpen and offense each have their own stressful moments. In a game that got close late, Cole's work was the difference between a narrow loss and a narrow win.
