Thanks to their power bats, the Yankees punched their ticket to the ALDS with a 7-2 over the Athletics in the AL Wild Card Game at Yankee Stadium on Wednedsay night. >> Box score
1) Aaron Judge started the game on a high note with a two-run jack to left field in the bottom of the first. The ball had a 116-mph exit velocity as it found its way to the bleachers.
2) The Yankees had a power-packed sixth inning to pull away. Aaron Hicks doubled home Judge, and after a walk to Giancarlo Stanton, Luke Voit hit a two-run triple to right field to make it 5-0. Then, after a challenge, Voit was deemed safe on a Didi Gregorius sac fly to add another run.
3) Luis Severino redeemed himself from last season's Wild Card Game with four scoreless innings, where he allowed just two hits while striking out seven. He did find himself in a couple binds with walks and an error allowing some A's on base. But he got out of his jams, including a bases-loaded one in the fourth. Dellin Betances also saved his line with stellar pitching after inheriting two runners on with no outs in the fifth.
4) Zach Britton allowed the only A's runs after Khris Davis hit a two-run homer to right field in the top of the eighth. But Giancarlo Stanton got one of them back with a solo moonshot that stayed fair down the left-field line.
5) Aroldis Chapman closed it out with a five-run lead to send the Yankees to the ALDS against the Red Sox. The first game is on Friday at 7:32 p.m. from Fenway Park.