Yankees: Highlights of Gerrit Cole’s first start in pinstripes

Gerrit Cole wore the home pinstripes for the first time ever, and the Yankees beat the Phillies 6-3.

Gerrit Cole had been dreaming of Monday night for his entire life growing up in Southern California — and, let’s be honest, probably for a good portion of his MLB tenure with the Pirates and Astros.

In his visions, though, he surely envisioned a few more loud and obnoxious rooters in the stands than the 0.0 outsiders who took this one in, but even though he didn’t have the crowd to refocus him while dealing with slightly subpar (for him) stuff, he ended up harnessing things all by his lonesome.

Six innings, five hits, one run, and several nasty breakers.

The bullpen took over for Cole at that point, as a nasty rain delay followed his six-inning battle, though the weather probably made a tough decision simpler for Aaron Boone. The hook was probably coming regardless, and this removed the hassle from the conversation.

Luckily for Cole, he had some offense under his belt from the very first batter.

Without a 50,000 strong standing ovation, the ace’s own claps and some manufactured noise would have to be enough of a salute for DJ LeMahieu’s leadoff homer.

We overuse the term “machine-like,” but that was flat-out machine learning right there.

If fans had been in the old ballpark, they would’ve witnessed a rarity, too: a Brett Gardner opposite-field home run, the first one he’s ever snuck over the fence in his MLB career.

And yes, he got trolled for it, too.

And yes, if there had been a crowd full of increasingly drunken rooters, they probably would’ve delivered a full-throated rebuke of the idea that Gio Urshela being the “best third baseman in the AL,” as A-Rod called him Sunday night, was a ridiculous notion.

When Urshela stepped up in the bottom of the sixth, he decided to further solidify that his bat is no fluke.

Like he often does so well, Urshela pulled his hands in, and took an inside breaker to deep left for a three-run shot, and a 6-1 lead.

That blast turned out to be a rainmaker, and a lengthy delay followed before the top of the seventh could resume with Brooks Kriske on the mound.

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The place sure cleared out quick, but those who stayed got to witness Cole’s first, of hopefully many, wins in the pinstripes.

Not bad for a free ticket.