Yankees secure sixth consecutive ticket

With pinch-runner Marwin Gonzalez on second as the automatic runner, Kaleb Ort (0-2) gave up an intentional groundout to Gleyber Torres before Donaldson hit a single just past diving shortstop Xander Bogaerts into left field, giving the Yankees the 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox and another postseason berth.

New York has a seven-and-a-half-game lead in the American League East Division over Toronto and is headed to the playoffs for the 24th time in 28 years.

“A great accomplishment. A lot of hard work over the course of the season to get to this point,” Judge said. “But I think you could ask anybody in this room: the work isn’t over. We have the ultimate goal of going out and winning our division, and getting ready for the postseason. And this is step No. 1, step No. 1 of many steps to come.”

Judge had gotten three tickets and struck out once before coming to the plate with the score tied 4-4 in the ninth. The crowd of 43,123 rose to its feet on every pitch, and Judge connected on a 2-2 count straight off Matt Barnes just to right-center field.

“I hit the ball a little bit low,” Judge said. “It was pretty windy tonight, so I was hoping maybe it would keep blowing the whole time when I batted. But it stayed just barely close.”

The ball came off the bat at 113 mph and fans waited in anticipation as Judge trotted toward first base. But they groaned in unison when Kike Hernandez made the catch one step in front of the fence, not far from the 408-foot sign, leaving Judge one home run shy of the American League record set by Yankees slugger Roger Maris in 1961.

“I thought that ball was going.”