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Gary Sanchez has cooled off and Aaron Judge continues to struggle — so leave it to Tyler Austin to keep the Yankees’ youth movement going.
Austin hit a walk-off homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game to give the Yankees a 5-4 win over the Rays.
It was the Yankees’ fifth straight win as their playoff hopes grow against the last-place Rays and it moved the Yankees to two games out of the second wild card — the closest they’ve been since April.
“It’s amazing what these kids have been able to do for us,” Joe Girardi said. “It’s hard to explain.”
This victory did not come easily, as the Yankees surrendered four homers — including three by CC Sabathia in just four-plus innings.
But the Yankees got a strong performance from his taxed bullpen, with Tommy Layne picking up the win.
Then, after Brian McCann — who homered twice — and Chase Headley were retired in the ninth, Austin got to a full count against Erasmo Ramirez and he belted a fastball out to right-center to end it.
“This might top the first game up here,” Austin said of his Aug. 13 debut, when he homered in his first at-bat.
The win meant even more, as the Yankees continue to move from a curiosity on the outskirts of the playoff race to a team that is playing better than it has all year.
“I think everyone in this clubhouse believes we can make a push at this thing and get into the postseason,” Austin said. “It’s an exciting time.”
Especially for Austin, whose rebound from a brutal 2015 keeps getting better. From being designated for assignment last season to starting this year at Double-A, Austin has flourished lately, with seven hits, four runs, two homers and five RBIs in his last five games.
He said he occasionally gets recognized on his way to the Stadium on the D train. That will likely happen more often now.
“There’s not a better feeling than that,” McCann said of Austin’s blast. “He’s not gonna sleep tonight, that’s for sure.”
For a time, it seemed like no one would Thursday, as the Yankees couldn’t shake the Rays.
And now it’s getting to the point this team, playing with nothing to lose since the trade deadline, just might have something at stake.
Sabathia had a shaky start, giving up three homers, including two to Kevin Kiermaier. Steven Souza Jr. hit a pair, as well, as the teams combined to hit seven home runs.
Girardi pulled Sabathia after consecutive singles by Logan Forsythe and Kiermaier in the fifth. The move paid off, as Jonathan Holder got Evan Longoria to hit into a double play.
Then the Yankees caught a break.
With two out and an 0-1 count to Alexei Ramirez, Holder was called for a balk to score Forsythe from third and tie the game — temporarily.
After McCann argued the call with home-plate umpire Mike Everitt, Girardi took up the case, saying Holder was shaking off a sign. Everitt huddled with first-base umpire Jordan Baker and reversed the call, moving Forsythe back to third.
Other than the home run Holder surrendered to Souza, the makeshift pen pitched well.
Parker threw 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings to get to the ninth and Kirby Yates.
“I’m sure there were butterflies when they were first here,” Girardi said. “They got through that and they’re starting to produce. It’s a sign the moment right now is not too big for them.”
And now, they’re four games behind the Red Sox for the division lead.
“We’re better than we were a couple of weeks ago and everything is in front of us,” Girardi said. “We have a shot. In this game, that’s what you look forward to.”