Self-confidence

And so the Yankees travel to Minute Maid Park for Game Six tomorrow armed with their second three-match win streak. In maintaining their spotless slate at Yankee Stadium through the playoffs so far, they had to overcome a spirited challenge from longtime

Resilient is how the Yankees can best be described in the aftermath of their victory yesterday. Down zero and two to start the American League Championship Series, they faced bleak prospects; claiming four wins in the next five outings appeared to be a daunting proposition, what with the Astros silencing their bats with relative ease. Yet, if there’s anything their previous performances in the postseason showed, it’s that their self-confidence appeared to be burgeoned by the enormity of the tasks at hand.

Indeed, the Yankees have faced adversity, and how. In the Wild Card game against the Twins, starter Luis Severino lasted a single out in the very first inning; after 29 pitches, he was gone, spotting the pinstripes three runs and ostensibly making just their second postseason set-to since 2012 a foregone conclusion. Yet, they came back at the bottom of the same inning and pulled away with help from a vaunted bullpen. In the Al Division Series, they headed into Game Three with two losses to their name, the second off a monumental lapse in judgment by manager Joe Girardi. Instead of hanging their heads, however, they used the turn of events to galvanize their campaign; they went on to blank the formidable Indians the rest of the way.

And so the Yankees travel to Minute Maid Park for Game Six tomorrow armed with their second three-match win streak. In maintaining their spotless slate at Yankee Stadium through the playoffs so far, they had to overcome a spirited challenge from longtime nemesis Dallas Keutchel. They likewise succeeded in keeping the pressure on the Astros’ relievers, who continued to be largely ineffective. Up next: The seemingly unflappable Justin Verlander, whose five-hit gem in Game Two underscores a level of command and control that may well give them fits on the boxes anew.

Still, it’s fair to contend that the Yankees have the momentum. They also have the luxury of self-assurance; from the outside looking in, they weren’t supposed to contend during a year of rebuilding. Instead, they’re a triumph away from a World Series appearance, a development not even the most optimistic of fans thought possible at the start of the 2017 season, let alone last

week. They have believed, and they have delivered.