The New York Yankees are back on track after snapping a four-game losing skid in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Mariners in a series opener at home Tuesday night. The Yankees expected nothing less than a win in this game, especially with ace Gerrit Cole toeing the rubber. Cole gave the Yankees what they wanted — and some more.

Cole showed fire not just with his pitches on the mound but with his actions off of it when he wagged his finger 15 times at the Mariners dugout after a fantastic performance in the seventh inning from the five-time All-Star. After the game, Gerrit Cole told reporters that actually just reciprocated the gesture shown tp him by Mariners manager Scott Servais.

“Their manager had some choice words for me coming off the field and he was wagging his finger at me, so I wagged my finger at him,” Gerrit Cole said (h/t Yankees Videos)

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In any case, Cole got the last laugh, as he pitched 7.1 excellent innings, allowing just an earned run on four hits with eight strikeouts on 105 pitches thrown. The Yankees provided him early run cushion with Anthony Rizzo knocking a one-run double in the first inning and Billy McKinney blasting a two-run homer in the second inning.

Gerrit Cole now has an 8-1 record to go along with a 2.64 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over the course of 16 starts, thus far in the 2023 MLB regular season. Cole is expected to make his next start on Sunday against the American League West division-leading Texas Rangers at home.