Austin Wells, Carlos Rodon power Yankees’ rout of Rangers in doubleheader Game 1

Aaron Judge saw 35 pitches in his five plate appearances, wearing down Rangers pitching and reaching base four times.

But such excellence has become nearly expected from the Yankees captain.

Less expected is Judge’s quality at-bats turning into runs.

But the Yankees’ No. 3 hitter circled the bases a few times Saturday because his protection — most notably the club’s No. 4 hitter — lengthened a lineup that no longer seems so top-heavy.

Austin Wells drove in four runs with a double and single on an afternoon the Yankees finished with 12 hits to lead the club over Texas in a series-opening and doubleheader-opening 8-0 shutout in The Bronx.

A big day from the offense — which made it 13 straight games in which the lineup recorded at least eight hits — and quality work from Carlos Rodon helped the Yankees (69-48) take their ninth game in the past 12 before the nightcap.

“Really patient at-bats,” manager Aaron Boone said after his lineup forced the Rangers to throw 189 pitches in the opening half of the long day. “Even when we didn’t totally break through there initially, I felt like the at-bat quality was there.”

The Yankees knocked out Nathan Eovaldi after just three innings with six hits — several timely — and tacked on, including another home run from Jazz Chisholm Jr., in a game that rarely was in doubt.

An all-around strong effort came with a concern.

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Trent Grisham was lifted before the start of the fifth inning after his left hand was drilled with a fastball in the inning prior.

Initial X-rays came back negative and Grisham’s injury was announced as a contusion.

Before leaving, he reached base twice in a game that the Yankees lived on the basepaths.

The tone was set immediately. Juan Soto singled in the first and Judge followed with a single on the ninth pitch of a battle with Eovaldi.

Wells’ drive into the left-center gap was caught, but No. 5 hitter Gleyber Torres came through with an RBI single that gave the Yankees a lead they never surrendered.

Soto and Judge (who singled on the sixth pitch he saw) reached again to start the third before Wells smacked a double into the right-center gap to juice the lead to three.

“We were having some really solid at-bats against [Eovaldi],” said Wells, who looks natural in the cleanup hole. “They wore him down pretty good.”

Yankees implode in sixth inning, settle for doubleheader split with Rangers

Batting fourth, Wells has hit .362 (21-for-58) with six runs, three doubles, a triple, two homers and 13 RBIs in 14 games.

“I think it’s worked out so far,” Wells said of his spot in the lineup.

The 3-0 edge was doubled in the fourth, when Judge rifled an RBI double on the ninth pitch he saw.

Up came Wells, who came through with a two-run single through the middle for a 6-0 lead that would prove plenty for the Yankees’ staff.

The Yankees would be fine with opposing teams pitching around Judge, who has received more intentional walks lately, if Wells keeps hitting like this.

After Soto and Judge wear down pitchers, Wells has been able to capitalize.

“They see a lot of pitches, so I get to see them as well,” said Wells, who has reached base multiple times in 11 of his past 14 starts.

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He also did his job defensively, catching 5 scoreless innings from Rodon on a day the Yankees’ staff let up just five hits.

Rodon was not efficient (a season-high 110 pitches to record 17 outs) but was at his best when he danced into trouble.

Texas went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position against the lefty, who struck out six and saved his best stuff for the big moments.

The Rangers loaded the bases with two outs in the second, but Rodon induced a flyout from Jonah Heim to escape.

Two more reached base in the third, but Rodon struck out Wyatt Langford with 98.5-mph heat.

Once more, Rodon blazed his way out of trouble in the fourth, when two reached before Rodon got Josh Smith to swing through a 98.7-mph fastball.

It was another good day for Rodon, who lowered his ERA to 4.18, and for his catcher.

“I think defensively, he’s been outstanding since he’s been here,” Rodon said of Wells, who also caught scoreless innings from Ron Marinaccio and Tim Hill, “and now you’re seeing what the Yankees had seen in him with the bat.”

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