Giancarlo Stanton 5, Nationals 1, to help the Yankees win the series

New York—The Yankees took down the Nationals 5-1 behind a big night at the plate from Giancarlo Stanton. Last year's AL Rookie of the Year winner, Luis Gil, got the starting nod for the Yankees and faced off against MacKenzie Gore.

"I'm just glad I can contribute to the wins, you know, I didn't like being out for so long, so whatever I can do streamline while I'm here," Stanton said. 

Gil worked around a one-out single with some help from a beautiful snap throw from Austin Wells to gun down CJ Abrams at first base for the final out of the top of the first inning. 

In the bottom of the first inning, Cody Bellinger knocked a two-out ground rule double to left field. But Stanton flew out to center field to strand Belli at second base. 

The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning via an RBI single from Abrams. 

Paul Goldschmidt picked up a two-out double in the bottom of the third inning, and Aaron Judge followed that up with a walk. The next batter, Belli, worked a walk of his own, Stanton came through with a bases-clearing double, just missing a grand slam to make it a 3-1 Yankees lead. 

"I mean, tonight, there were obviously some big situations," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Stanton coming up in big spots. "So I like when he walks up there, because I know he's gonna be prepared and I know he's gonna go execute as planned. You know, it doesn't obviously mean you get a result, but I know, he's going to be convicted, and if they slip up, he's gonna get you." 

After two walks and Gil's velocity being down in the top of the fourth inning, Yankees manager Aaron Boone and the trainer came out to check on him, but he remained in the game. Gil recorded his fourth strikeout of the ballgame to help work around the two walks. 

"Yeah, I think he just kind of backed off a little bit, trying to better find the strike zone," Boone said on Gil. "So I think He was he just backed off, which was my sense. That's why I didn't go out there, you know, because I noticed it right away with the first few. And then that was my sense of what he was doing. It was just trying to be a little more under control and try and command a little better, and and and that's what he that's what it was." 

In the top half of the seventh inning, Belli made a perfect throw from left field to gun down James Wood, trying to score from second base. 

Fernando Cruz, who was activated from the IL earlier today, replaced Gil on the mound, gave up a leadoff bloop single, and hit a batter. Cruz then picked up a strikeout on a nasty splitter; the next batter laid down a perfect bunt single to load the bases with one out. Cruz picked up another strikeout for the second out, and Tim Hill then took over for Cruz and got Wood to ground out to strand the bases loaded. 

Luis Gil's final line: five innings pitched, five hits allowed, one earned run, four walks, 12 swings and misses, and five strikeouts on 92 pitches. Gil threw his fastball 46% of the time, the slider 30%, and the changeup 24% of the time. Gil was solid, but the walks just killed any chance he had of going deep into this game yet again; his velocity was also way down in the fourth inning, which was concerning. 

"Thinking about the outing, I think you know it's a good outing, you know, good outing for us as well," Gil said. "I just wanted to execute some pitches, keep the game right there for us, give us a chance tonight." 

Belli led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a swinging bunt single. The next batter, Big-G, crushed a two-run home run 451 feet away into the bleachers in left field, his 17th bomb of the year,  to make it a 5-1 game. 

"He's got a tough foreseam and a running sinker, so just same approach, just try to get the barrel out, be out in front, and do something good," Stanton said on his approach when he went deep.

Hill remained in the game for the top of the seventh inning and faced the minimum, thanks to a nice 5-4-3 double play turned by the Yankees' infield. 

Camilo Doval came in to replace Hill in the top of the eighth inning and worked an easy 1-2-3 inning with a pair of strikeouts. 

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Goldy went down in order for the Yankees. 

David Bednar was called upon to pitch the top of the ninth inning and retired the Nats in order with a couple of strikeouts to end this one 5-1 and give the Yankees the series win. 

The Yankees will go for the sweep tomorrow with Max Fried on the mound, facing off against Cade Cavalli. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET on the YES Network. 

My thoughts on the game: Gil was solid; his velocity, which was down in the fourth, was definitely concerning, but it improved in the fifth inning. The walks continue to be a problem for him. The bullpen was excellent. Cruz was solid in his return from the IL with a couple of strikeouts. Tim Hill picked up four big outs, Doval looked nasty in a scoreless eighth inning, and Bednar closed the game out with a couple of strikeouts of his own. Stanton carried the charge with five RBIs; hopefully, Judge will be back in the outfield this weekend because Stanton needs to be in the lineup every day. On to tomorrow, as Fried will look to build off his great start from Friday and hopefully help the Yankees complete the sweep.