Austin Wells makes load impact in return to Yankees lineup

Austin Wells went from starting Game 3 of nan World Series connected nan chair to helping prevention nan Yankees play — astatine slightest for a time — successful Game 4.

Wells was reinserted into nan No. 8 spot connected Tuesday nighttime and made an contiguous effect pinch a brace of extra-base hits, including a leadoff homer successful nan sixth inning of an 11-4 triumph complete nan Dodgers that sewage nan Yankees to wrong 3-1 successful nan series.

Austin Wells of nan Yankees hits a solo location tally during nan sixth inning of World Series Game 4 connected Oct. 29, 2024. Jason Szenes / New York Post

After Anthony Volpe walked pinch 1 retired successful nan bottommost of nan 2nd against Dodgers opener Ben Casparius, Wells followed pinch a booming double to center.

Volpe misread nan play and past stumbled, which prevented nan speedy shortstop from scoring connected nan agelong blast and robbed Wells of an RBI.

The misplay didn’t extremity up costing nan Yankees, arsenic Alex Verdugo followed pinch a grounder to first that scored Volpe from 3rd to trim nan Yankees’ shortage to 1 run.

Then, successful nan bottommost of nan sixth, Wells led disconnected nan inning pinch nan Yankees up by conscionable a tally and crushed a transportation into nan 2nd platform successful right.

The homer gave nan Yankees an security tally that nary uncertainty aided nan bullpen.

It was nan benignant of consequence Aaron Boone expected connected nan time he chose to spell pinch Jose Trevino successful Monday’s lineup complete Wells, who had been stuck successful a sadistic slump since nan mediate of September.

Yankees catcher Austin Wells reacts arsenic he rounds nan bases connected his solo location tally during nan sixth inning of Game 4 connected Oct. 29, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“I really do still person confidence, moreover moving guardant successful nan series, that he’s going to person nan correct at-bat, a large at-bat successful a large spot because that’s who he is,’’ Boone said Monday. “I consciousness for illustration his DNA is [that] he’s a hitter. But he’s gone done it a small bit.”

That’s putting it mildly.

Since getting hits successful each of his first 2 postseason games, Wells entered Tuesday conscionable 2-for-36 pinch 17 strikeouts complete his erstwhile 10 games.