CLEVELAND — With all the close calls in October over the years, Yankees captain Aaron Judge has been conditioned to answer questions about an early postseason exit this time of year.

Even as beer dripped down his back and he wiped champagne out of his eyes, Aaron Judge had not forgotten the motivating heartbreak that he experienced seven years ago. Falling one win short of reaching the World Series as a rookie in 2017 still was on his mind in the hour after the Yankees finished off the Guardians with a 5-2 victory Saturday night in Game 5 of the ALCS to get their captain to his long-awaited first World