CHICAGO — When the calendar flipped to July, Gerrit Cole received a fresh slate to get back on track following a rocky June.
The Yankees veteran right-hander is now about to enter August on a heater.
Cole delivered the goods on Tuesday to finish off a strong July in style, tossing six shutout innings to lift the Yankees to a 3-2 win over the White Sox at Rate Field.
After Angel Chivilli and Brent Headrick kept the shutout alive in relief of Cole, David Bednar — pitching for the fourth time in five days — made things interesting in the ninth when he gave up a two-out, two-run homer to Chase Meidroth.
The runs were the first he allowed since May 18, snapping a 21-game scoreless streak, but Bednar held on to close out the White Sox (55-51).
Despite not often feeling like it, because of injuries and a mostly scuffling offense, the Yankees (61-46) have now won 11 of their last 15 games, pulling within 1.5 games of the Rays for first place in the AL East with the trade deadline looming.
A night after an offensive outburst, the Yankees scratched across three runs in the second inning — on run-scoring doubles from Anthony Volpe and Max Schuemann — to give Cole all the support he needed.
After posting a 6.12 ERA in five June starts, Cole pitched to a 2.97 ERA over five July starts, looking much more like his old self as he continues his first season back from Tommy John surgery.
Cole’s six strong innings were sorely needed after the last two Yankees starters — Max Fried and Will Warren — had lasted a combined six innings, putting an extra toll on the bullpen.
His 99th and final pitch of the night was a 97 mph fastball that got Braden Montgomery whiffing for Cole’s seventh strikeout to finish the sixth.
The Yankees’ second-inning rally began with back-to-back singles from Jasson Domínguez and Trent Grisham against White Sox lefty Anthony Kay.
Volpe came up next and tagged a ball to left-center field that was nearly a three-run shot — and then almost robbed altogether on a leaping attempt by center fielder Tristan Peters into the wall — before it turned into an RBI double for the 1-0 lead.
One out later, Schuemann — starting a third straight game in left field for Cody Bellinger, all three against lefties — hit a chopper over third base for a two-run double that made it 3-0.
Fresh off being handed the lead, Cole helped himself out in the bottom of the second by making a circus catch on a pop-up in front of the mound. Catcher Austin Wells made an attempt on it — and appeared to back into his pitcher incidentally — before Cole called him off and took it himself.
The ball popped out of his glove, but Cole recovered and snagged it with his bare right hand as he backpedaled onto the mound.
Cole had some fun after the catch, holding out his arms and calling Wells for pass interference on the play.
The White Sox had just one base runner through three innings before Cole lost his command in the fourth, inviting trouble. He threw a first-pitch ball to five of the six batters he faced in the inning, including leadoff man Munetaka Murakami, who roped a double before Miguel Vargas drew a five-pitch walk.
Cole retired the next two batters but then walked Montgomery on another full count, loading the bases and drawing a mound visit from pitching coach Matt Blake.
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On his 32nd and final pitch of the inning, though, he got Peters to pop out, stranding all three runners.
