Austin Wells rewards Yankees faith with big night from No. 4 spot

Aaron Boone stuck with Austin Wells in the cleanup spot despite the young catcher’s slump late in the season, and Wells came through in the first postseason game of his career with a game-tying hit in the bottom of the sixth of a 6-5 win over the Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS in The Bronx.After Wells failed to deliver in the bottom of the first with runners on second and third and one out and then popped out to end the third, Wells walked to extend the fifth inning, during which the Yankees scored a pair of runs.Then came the sixth, which started with a leadoff walk from Alex Verdugo, who moved to second on Juan Soto’s one-out single to right.After Aaron Judge whiffed in a big spot for the second time of the night, Wells came up and banged a hit to right off lefty Sam Long that scored Verdugo to tie the game.On Friday, Boone spoke about why he opted to keep Wells in the No.4 spot behind Soto and Judge, rather than put a more experienced hitter like Giancarlo Stanton there.“I just feel like within [that] little bit of a bump, I feel like we’re seeing a real mature hitter,’’ Boone said of Wells, who finished the regular season in a 4-for-48 rut in his final 15 games.“I just feel like he’s swung the bat well through this week,’’ Boone said of the leadup to the ALDS.

“I feel like the week off has probably served him well.I feel like he’s had good live at-bats this week.

[And] I have a lot of confidence in the presence he brings there.” Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+.Please provide a valid email address.

By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Wells has impressed for much of the season, even when he’s struggled, with lengthy, tough at-bats.So while the production has sometimes dipped, he hasn’t typically made it easy on opposing pitchers.Follow The Post’s ...