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Aaron Judge Homers as Yankees Advance to ALDS

The AL wild-card matchup between the Yankees and Twins lived up to the name of the initial playoff round, which Yankees’ General Manager Brian Cashman predicted would be a “steel-cage match.”

Fourth inning

Yankees are up by one in their half of the fourth inning. Both starting pitches left the game by the second inning. Aaron Judge hits a two-run home run to left field. Over the auxiliary scoreboard. The Yankees take a 7-4 lead.

Judge, the rookie who led the AL with 52 home runs during the regular season, has just hit the first playoff home run of his career.

That’s three home runs for the Yankees in four innings. (The Twins hit two in the first.) Twins’ relievers are warming up in the bullpen. The Yankees get two runs on two hits, and lead by three at the end of four innings.

Sixth inning

Zack Granite singles for the Twins. Brian Dozier walks. Tommy Kahnle comes into the game in relief of David Robertson. Khanle gets Joe Mauer out to end the inning. Trevor Hildenberg, who throws side arm, starts the bottom of the sixth inning. Retires the Yankees in order.

Seventh inning

Yankees’ runners on second and third. Twins walk Didi Gregorious, whose home run in the first inning tied the game. Bases loaded, no outs. Twins walk in a run. Yankees take an 8-4 lead. The Twins won’t score again.