Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It took until the Yankees’ sixth postseason game, but Aaron Judge finally did it.

Facing hard-throwing Cleveland righty Hunter Gaddis in the seventh inning, Judge launched a deep drive to center field. Lane Thomas’ leaping attempt proved futile as the ball bounced off of Monument Park’s netting.

Statcast measured Judge’s two-run home run at 414 feet with exit velocity at 111.3 mph. It was his first of the playoffs after mashing 58 in the regular season. He’s all but certainly winning his second MVP trophy.

Judge’s home run gave the Yankees a 6-2 lead headed into the eighth inning.

Josh Benjamin has been a staff writer at ESNY since 2018. He has had opinions about everything, especially the Yankees and Knicks. He co-hosts the “Bleacher Creatures” podcast and is always looking for new pieces of sports history to uncover, usually with a Yankee Tavern chicken parm sub in hand.