BABIES GO BUST

HOUSTON — The Yankees wouldn’t have defied expectations and reached the playoffs without Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez producing like they did at the plate. But now both Baby Bombers are struggling mightily in the postseason — failing to deliver against some of the best pitchers in baseball.

Since the AL wild-card game, Judge is 2-for-27 with two RBIs, five walks and 19 strikeouts, while Sanchez is 0-for-11 with a walk and eight strikeouts over his last three games.

Neither was a factor in Game 2 of the ALCS on Saturday, as Justin Verlander dominated the Yankees, striking out 13 in a 124-pitch, one-run, five-hit, one-walk complete game. And back-to-back 2-1 losses to the Astros at Minute Maid Park have the Bombers in an 0-2 hole as the series shifts back to New York.

Joe Girardi said he plans on keeping the right-handed power duo at the top of the lineup — and given how the rest of his team is hitting, it’s not like there are better configurations. Dallas Keuchel also threw seven shutout innings and struck out 10 in Game 1.

“I think they’re seeing a lot of good pitching,” Girardi said. “They’re making good pitches on these kids. Are they maybe trying too hard? Yeah, of course. But I think everybody out there is probably trying a little bit too hard.”

Overall, Judge and Sanchez have combined to go 10-for-65 in the playoffs (.154) with five extra base hits, seven RBIs and 34 strikeouts.

“Everyone wants to hit 1.000,” Judge said. “I think you can ask everyone in this room: I think they’re not satisfied with their stats.”

Added Sanchez: “Right now I’m not getting the results I want. I’m confident in myself that I’ll be able to contribute moving forward.”

Verlander pounded the strike zone all day, and his slider was filthy. Judge and Sanchez each went 0-for-4 with a pair of Ks.

Judge has been battling a wider strike zone at times, the victim of some borderline calls that have gone against him. But he’s also missed some pitches he’s drilled in the past — like a mislocated 97-mph fastball from Verlander that he fouled back to the screen.

The question with Judge going forward as he continues to grow and evolve following a phenomenal rookie campaign: Can he hit good pitching consistently, or is he just a mistake hitter?

“He’s going to learn to lay off pitches, but anything with spin gives him a hard time, especially if it starts in the zone like a slider,” one scout told the Daily News before the series. “But he keeps an even keel, doesn’t show his emotions.”

As for Sanchez, he looks completely out of whack, much more-so than Judge, who never loses sight of his approach.

“I’m definitely missing some pitches that I should’ve hit and there were some bad pitches that I swung at,” Sanchez said. gain, the duo is far from the lone reason the Bombers have only mustered two runs this series. But Judge and Sanchez are so valuable to the offense, which is at its best when both are delivering at the top of the lineup.

The duo will get its next chance on Monday. And the Yankees need more from Judge and Sanchez if they’re going to get back in this series.

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