Aaron Judge ends his home run drought at the perfect time, bringing the Yankees within two wins of the World Series

As the Yankees move closer to their first World Series appearance since 2009, Judge Aaron has returned to form at the perfect time.

The New York captain hit two home runs in the seventh inning on Tuesday night to ensure that he and his teammates would head to Cleveland for Game 3 with a 2-0 lead in the bag.

The best-of-three American League Championship Series is firmly under the Yankees' control, with the Yankees winning the first two games of this stage of the playoffs for the first time since 2009 against the Los Angeles Angels. They won the World Series that same year.

There was no Taylor Swift or Travis Kelce to keep the crowd entertained in the noisy Bronx, but Judge's home run and three RBI kept eyes glued to the field.

Judge hit his first postseason homer since Game 5 of the 2022 AL Division Series, and Hunter Gaddis sent a 1-1 fastball into the Monument Park net behind the center field fence to give the Yankees a 6-2 lead.

The Yankees captain runs the bases after the team defeated the Guardians 6-2

Outfielders Alex Verdugo, Judge and Juan Soto celebrate after sealing the win in game two

It was only his third postseason goal, but the 14th time he has scored in the playoffs.

In the first inning, Gleyber Torres scored the first run for New York when Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio dropped a Judge pop-up.

The umpire also picked up a sacrifice fly in the second half to make it 3-0 after the Rangers elected to intentionally walk Juan Soto to load the bases.

Alex Verdugo added an RBI double between Judge's first two plate appearances. New York's Anthony Rizzo scored an RBI double in the sixth period.

The umpire's outburst came on a stormy night for New York ace Gerrit Cole, who allowed two runs on six hits in a tedious game that lasted four and three innings. Cole scored four goals and walked four in his shortest postseason appearance since more than two innings in the 2021 Boston wild-card game.

Judge and Gleyber Torres celebrate in the Yankees dugout after scoring in the seventh inning

Jazz Chisholm (right) waits to learn his fate after being ejected at second base

Lane Thomas and Will Brennan are unable to stop Judge's deep shot landing in Monument Park

Cole gave up two runs in the third inning, retiring Jose Ramirez in the final inning, and left the bases loaded in the fourth inning with a designated third strike with his curveball to Rocchio.

Cleveland tied the game 3-1 after Josh Naylor's sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Cole was replaced by Clay Holmes after he walked Lane Thomas and loaded the bases with one out. Holmes gave up the scoring throw to Will Brennan, walked again with the bases loaded, but then struck out Austin Hedges to end the inning.

Holmes (2-0) was one of four New York players to throw a total of 4 2/3 innings. Luke Weaver allowed Ramirez one hit in the ninth before closing out the victory.

Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. He fanned two and walked one. The Rangers used seven mitigation measures the rest of the way.

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