Yankees’ center field mix-up looms large as Astros strike early in ALCS Game 3

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When it rains, it pours.

Just ask Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. The New York hurler appeared to have gotten himself out of the second inning of ALCS Game 3 when Astros catcher Christian Vasquez sent a routine fly ball to center field.

It was an easy one for center fielder Harrison Bader to track. There was just one problem: Aaron Judge — and every inch of his 6-8, 282-pound frame — was making a beeline for the ball.

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Bader called for the ball, prompting Judge to pull up. But the damage was done; Judge blocked Bader’s vision. And although the ball nestled into Bader’s glove for just a second, it immediately bounced out, prolonging the inning.

The error was so shocking that even Vasquez thought that he was out. He momentarily jogged onto the infield grass before running, and then sliding, back to first base.

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Cole was confident in his ability to get the Pinstripers out of the inning. In fact, he seemingly told himself and/or Bader, “I got you.”

In a cruel twist of fate, Houston’s next batter, Chas McCormick, took Cole deep on a 1-1 fastball to give the Astros a 2-0 lead.

One more thing: There’s only one MLB stadium where McCormick’s line drive would be a home run. That would be at Yankee Stadium and its right-field porch. It’s just 314 feet from home plate to the corner.

That’s not what you want to see when you’re trying to fight back from an 0-2 series deficit.

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