Here’s a blanket statement that on the surface probably won’t surprise anyone: History is not on Kyle Gibson’s side. We aren’t talking about his ERA coming into the game, though that could have doubled as the prefix of a Twin Cities-area phone number.

We aren’t even talking about his numbers since coming back from Rochester, though his ERA was approaching 5.00 with an OPS against of over .900 since returning from his exile.

Rather, we’re talking about Gibson pitching on July 4 — something he had done twice prior to drawing the task again in 2017.

Gibson’s second career start came on July 4, 2013, and he was absolutely pummeled by the Yankees, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits in 5.1 innings in a 9-5 loss — the first of his big-league career. That included giving up multi-hit games to such luminaries as Zoilo Almonte, Luis Cruz, Travis Hafner, Ichiro Suzuki and the post-apocalyptic version of Vernon Wells.

The next year, Gibson again drew the start against the Yankees at Target Field, and this time didn’t record an out in the third inning in a 6-5 loss. The final line: six runs, five earned, six hits, no strikeouts and a walk. This time, Gibson threw 52 pitches and got just one swinging strike against a Motley crew including Brian Roberts, Kelly Johnson, Zelous Wheeler and Brendan Ryan. The opposing starter was Chase Whitley. Sam Deduno took over after Gibson departed.

But Tuesday afternoon was different, as Gibson pitched into the seventh inning for the first time all season in a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels. In fact, the last time he recorded an out in the seventh inning prior to Tuesday was his final start of last season — a 6.1-inning outing in which he fanned eight Royals on the way to a 7-6 Twins win.

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