Yankees blank Cubs 3-0 in Rizzo's first return to Wrigley

Luis Gil pitched six sparkling innings and the New York Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Friday.

New York scored three times in the third inning in its first game at Wrigley Field since 2017. 

The Yankees (81-60) trailed AL East-leading Baltimore by a half-game going into Friday’s action.

The Cubs (72-69) lost for the third time in four games since a successful road trip put them back in the conversation for the third NL wild card.

Chicago, after throwing a no-hitter at Pittsburgh, managed only one hit themselves against the Yankees.

Former Cub Anthony Rizzo was saluted with multiple standing ovations Friday in his first game back at Wrigley Field since the first baseman was traded by the Chicago Cubs to New York in July 2021.

“The whole day I was smiling,” Rizzo said. “There would be times where I was just on the field just smiling, taking it in. I haven’t been here in a while, so it’s nice to be back.”

Rizzo played for Chicago for nine-plus seasons, becoming one of the team’s most popular players during a wildly successful run for the franchise. He hit .272 with 242 homers and 784 RBIs in 1,308 games for the Cubs, making the NL All-Star team three times and winning four Gold Gloves.

With Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez anchoring a strong lineup, Chicago won the 2016 World Series for the franchise’s first championship in 108 years.