Aaron whiffs 4 times but RBI double puts Yanks on verge

Aaron Judge always seems to make it happen — no matter what. Even when he’s not hitting, he still manages to make a game-saving catch — just like he did in Game 3, when he robbed Francisco Lindor of a two-run homer. And even when he’s striking out in nearly every at-bat, he still manages to come up with the biggest hit of the night — just like he did in Game 4, when he battled back against Trevor Bauer and ultimately produced a two-out, two-run double in the second inning that gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead en route to a 7-3 victory over the Indians in the Bronx, which sets up a do-or-die Game 5 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field.

Judge entered that at-bat 0-for-11 with nine strikeouts in the ALDS. But he certainly made his first hit of the series count – producing two huge runs.

“He continues to be patient,” Joe Girardi said. “They’re making a lot of good pitches on him, there’s no doubt about that. But he’s maintaining the strike zone when he gets a pitch to hit — and a lot of times, he’s able to hit it. He was able to do it (Monday night). That’s a huge hit. There’s a big difference between 2-0 and 4-0. It allowed Luis Severino to relax a bit.”

Girardi had said going into Game 4 that Judge was due. And given that Judge had a couple of bad strike three calls go against him earlier in the series — the manager had a point.

Yet Judge was facing a starter in Bauer that had his number.

Bauer had fanned Judge three times in his Game 1 gem, another time in Judge’s first at-bat of Game 4 — getting him to chase a high fastball with the count full — and after Judge fell behind 0-2 in his second at-bat, it was about to be five Ks in a row.

But Judge is the potential 2017 AL MVP, after all, no easy out — even when he’s not going well at the plate.

So Judge took two straight curveballs in the dirt from arguably the best curveball pitcher in baseball, evening the count at 2-2.

He then fouled off a curve and a 97-mph fastball to stay alive.

Judge took a third breaking ball in the dirt to bring about a second consecutive full count. And Bauer threw him a second consecutive high heater after that.

But this time, Judge got on top of the 96-mph fastball, driving it into left field, as Aaron Hicks and Brett Gardner came around to score, sending the sellout crowd at Yankee Stadium into a frenzy, and forcing Bauer out of the game after just 1.2 innings following an intentional walk to Didi Gregorius. “Stay on the heater. Stay on the heater,” Judge said when asked about his approach. “Bauer’s a guy that has great stuff, and he wants to go out there and show it. He’s a dominant pitcher. I wasn’t surprised (I got a fastball there).”

Judge took a Golden Sombrero in Game 1 and struck out four more times in Game 4, bringing his series total to 12 Ks in 15 at-bats. Yet he’s still made it happen by drawing four walks, scoring three runs, robbing a homer and delivering a huge hit.

“It felt good,” Judge said. “I’m not getting those mistakes, and when they throw it over the middle of the plate, I have to do damage. I haven’t been able to do that. It’s been a grind, but if we keep winning, that’s the most important thing.”

Asked if he’s concerned by all the strikeouts, Judge replied: “As long as we’re winning, no. And if we keep winning, not at all.”

So it all comes down to this, Game 5, another potential elimination game for these Bombers, who have always excelled with their backs against the wall.

Don’t be surprised if Judge delivers in the clutch – just as he did with his two-run homer in last Tuesday’s AL wild-card game. It’s what he does.

“It will be electric, a must-win game,” Judge said. “We’re all looking forward to it.”