CHICAGO — Clarke Schmidt and Nestor Cortes combined on a four-hitter, and the New York Yankees clinched their 32nd straight winning season by blanking the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Saturday.
Schmidt pitched 4 2/3 innings of four-hit ball in his first big league game since May 26. Cortes (9-10) closed it out in his first relief appearance since 2021.
Cortes admitted he was upset when he learned he was going to pitch in relief.
"I'm never going to back down from a challenge," Cortes said. "I'm never going to leave my teammates out to dry.