Aaron Judge finally has his postseason moment as the Yankees continue to win ugly

In October, an ugly victory can look much nicer.

The Yankees are looking like a 2-0 lead in the ALCS and two wins away from reaching the World Series.

On another night where they missed early chances to open the game, the Yankees still did enough to get by before Aaron Judge finally awoke from his slumber with a two-run home run that made it 6-3 Victory over the Guardians capped a chilly Tuesday evening in the Bronx.

The Yankees seem to play the same game almost every night in October, but so far it has proven to be a winning formula against two AL Central teams.

In Game 2 of the ALCS, Gerrit Cole didn't make it to the fifth inning. The Yankees had two outs on the bases in the same inning and scored 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, making it 8-for-52 this postseason.

And yet the Guardians made two errors that led to two Yankees runs. Their starter, Tanner Bibee, lasted just 1 ⅓ innings after Alex Cobb went 2 ⅔ innings in Game 1.

They even intentionally walked Juan Soto to load the bases for Judge in the second inning, although it all worked out as Judge only hit a sacrifice fly.

But Judge ended the night with the last laugh, crushing his first home run of the playoffs with a two-run shot to center field to give the Yankees some breathing room in the seventh inning.

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The Yankees' bullpen took care of the rest, as Clay Holmes, Tim Hill (five outs) and Tommy Kahnle (four outs) combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings to close the gap in the ninth. Then Luke Weaver gave up his first earned run since September 2nd, giving up a solo shot to Jose Ramirez but still securing the win.

Cole had an excellent performance in the decisive Game 4 of the ALDS and was far less sharp on Tuesday, lasting just 4 1/3 innings while giving up two runs on six hits and four walks while throwing four strikeouts.

The Yankees had an all-too-familiar slump in the first inning, but this time they were spared a complete blowout thanks to the Guardians. Gleyber Torres (3-for-4) doubled and Juan Soto struck out Bibee to put the Yankees back in business.

Judge, who had been quiet so far this month despite having frequent chances to deliver with runners on base, came next and ran a pop all the way to second base. But shortstop Brayan Rocchio let Judge off the hook when the ball bounced off his glove and flowed into right field, allowing Torres to score from third for a 1-0 lead.

The Yankees came back for more in the second inning when Anthony Volpe and Anthony Rizzo led off with back-to-back singles to bring Alex Verdugo to the corners, who hit a double down the left field line to make it 2-0.

With Torres out, the Guardians went bold and intentionally walked Soto to load the bases for Judge – the second time a team had done so this season; The first led to Judge hitting his 300th career home run in August against the White Sox.

But this time, when the Guardians brought in tough right winger Cade Smith to replace Bibee, it worked. At least Judge ensured a productive outcome by hitting a sacrifice throw for a 3-0 lead.

But Smith hit Wells next to ensure the lead held.

The Guardians reached Cole for two runs in the fifth, knocking him out of the game, although Wells' right elbow kept them from tying the score when he blocked Holmes' sweeper with the bases loaded and two outs.

The Yankees tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, and it could have been more if not for sloppy baserunning. They had runners on first and second with no outs and Rizzo ahead when Jazz Chisholm Jr. got too big of a lead heading into second and was picked off. Rizzo then hit a double to right field that scored Volpe from the start, assisted by a bobble from right fielder Will Brennan, to make the score 4-2.

But Rizzo ended the inning when he was caught on a pitch in the dirt by Torres in no man's land between second and third and the Guardians sent him into a rundown for the third out.