Yankees acing their Astros test with tone-setting sweep is ‘just the start’ 

HOUSTON — If this was the series from hell for the Astros (hat tip for the phrase to the great Richard Lewis, RIP), the Yankees, who overcame both injuries and illness in the season-opening set, left here for Arizona in heaven, and in first place, having swept hated Houston in four tough, tense games.

Sure, it’s just the beginning, but this was the kind of magical weekend that can set the tone for the 162 games. The Yankees’ task was monumental, their opponent daunting and their health so-so (at best). And yet, they aced the test.

New Yankees star Juan Soto (yes, him again) lined the winning hit with two outs in the ninth inning off former teammate Josh Hader, who just happens to be the hardest pitcher to hit in major league history. Soto threatens to secure the honor tag of “true Yankee” faster than any other in their storied history, as he finished his first series in pinstripes hitting .529 following his hit to left on Hader’s 3-2 fastball that scored Gleyber Torres for yet another close win — 4-3 — that had to gall the Astros.

“It just put a bow on the series,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

That was a nice metaphor, as the weekend was a gift from the baseball gods. Following three comeback victories against the team that’s tormented them (and the rest of the league), the Yankees won yet another late battle of the bullpens, with some superior glovework and a little bit of luck.

Astros star Yordan Alvarez’s bid to win the game on a liner toward left with two on in the ninth was either one or two inches foul (“let’s go with one,” said Yankees left fielder Alex Verdugo.) Then Alvarez followed by flying out to the wall and Kyle Tucker hit a sinking liner that Verdugo managed to corral to secure the Yankees’ perfect 4-0 record.