Yankees have another 2-0 deficit to overcome

NEW YORK Trailing again 2-0 in the post-season, these young New York Yankees remain even keeled going into Game 3 of the AL Championship Series against the Houston Astros.

“I don’t know if it’s maturity or just being dumb,” Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said.

At 36 the old man of the pitching staff, Sabathia will pitch Monday surrounded by a starting lineup that includes Baby Bombers Aaron Judge (25), Gary Sanchez (24) and Greg Bird (24).

Houston, two wins from its first World Series appearance since 2005, starts 33-yearold right-hander Charlie Morton, who grew up in Connecticut rooting for the Yankees. He remembered getting Joe Girardi’s autograph at spring training and his family spotting Derek Jeter at a Bahama Breeze restaurant, an especially exhilarating experience for his sister, Jennie.

“She walked up to him and said, ‘Hey, can I have a picture with you?’ And he said, ‘Only if you smile,”’ Morton recalled.

After a pair of 2-1 games in Houston, the series shifted to the Bronx and the Astros worked out at Yankee Stadium, where New York went 51-30 during the regular season. Houston won the 2015 AL wild-card game in the Bronx by a 3-0 score.

“It will be the biggest game of my career,” said Morton, who didn’t get a decision against Boston in Game 4 of the Division Series.

While Judge, Sanchez and Didi Gregorius combined to go 2 for 22 in the first two games of the series, Astros stars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa went 8 for 15.