STUNNER

The New York Yankees rally from a 2-0 series deficit to oust Cleveland in Game 5 of the ALDS

CLEVELAND — Didi Gregorius, following in the October footprints left by Derek Jeter, homered twice off Corey Kluber as the New York Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 5-2 in Game 5 on Wednesday night to complete their comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the Division Series and dethrone the AL champions.

The Yankees staved off elimination for the fourth time in this postseason and advanced to play the host Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series starting Friday at Minute Maid Park.

“It’s just our time,” starter CC Sabathia said.

The AL West champion Astros, led by 5-foot-6 dynamo and MVP candidate Jose Altuve, went 5-2 against the wild-card winners this season.

After winning twice in New York, manager Joe Girardi and the Yankees — with little offensive help from rookie star Aaron Judge — came into Progressive Field and finished off the Indians, who won 102 games during the regular season, ripped off a historic 22-game winning streak and were favored to get back to the World Series after losing in seven games a year ago to the Chicago Cubs.

Cleveland’s Series drought turns 70 next year — baseball’s longest dry spell.

The Indians closed to 3-2 in the fifth against Sabathia before David Robertson pitched 2⅔ hitless innings for the win. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, who faced Cleveland in last year’s spine-tingling World Series and signed an $86 million free-agent contract in December, worked two innings for the save.

Chapman went to the mound with a three-run lead in the ninth after Brett Gardner battled Cody Allen for 12 pitches in the top half of the inning before hitting an RBI single. New York’s fifth run scored when Todd Frazier raced home on right fielder Jay Bruce’s throwing error.

Gardner’s at-bat was symbolic of these Yankees. They wouldn’t give in.

“We can win a lot of different ways,” Gardner said.

When Austin Jackson was called out on strikes to end it, the Yankees rushed to the mound to celebrate with a wideeyed Chapman. Girardi broke into a huge smile and hugged his coaches.

The Bronx Bombers became the 10th team to overcome a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-five playoff series. New York also did it in 2001, rallying to beat Oakland — a series remembered for Jeter’s backhand flip to home plate.

Gregorius, who took over at shortstop following Jeter’s retirement after the 2014 season, hit a solo homer in the first off Kluber and added a two-run shot in the third off Cleveland’s ace.

DAVID DERMER/ASSOCIATED PRESS The Yankees’ DiDi Gregorius points to the New York dugout after hitting a two-run homer off Indians ace Corey Kluber in the third inning of Wednesday’s Game 5 of the ALDS in Cleveland. It was Gregorius’ second blast of the game.

PHIL LONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez is late on the tag as New York’s Todd Frazier slides in safely at home in the ninth inning with the Yankees’ fifth run of the game. He took advantage of a throwing error by outfielder Jay Bruce.

DAVID DERMER/ASSOCIATED PRESS The Indians’ Giovanny Urshela strikes out in the eighth inning against Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman on Wednesday night. Earlier in the game, Urshela had a run-scoring single.