CHICAGO (AP) — Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes combined on a four-hitter, and the New York Yankees secured their 32nd consecutive winning season by blanking the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Saturday.
Schmidt pitched 4 2/3 innings of four-hit ball in his first major league game since May 26. Cortes (9-10) closed the game in his first relief appearance since 2021 with 75 pitches, 44 for strikes.
The 32 consecutive winning seasons is the second-longest streak in Major League history, behind the Yankees’ 39 consecutive seasons from 1926-64.
Before the game, New York (82-60) was a half-game behind Baltimore, the leader of the American League East Division.
Chicago (72-70) has lost four of five at home as it tries to rally in the race for the NL’s third wild card.
Judge, who leads the majors with 51 homers, went 0 for 3 with a walk. He hasn’t homered in 11 games in his longest streak of the season.
Cubs Mexican right-hander Javier Assad (7-5) allowed one earned run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.
For the Yankees, Venezuelan Gleyber Torres went 1-for-4 with one run scored.