Austin Wells’ two-homer night powers Yankees past Cardinals

The Yankees have been looking for protection for Aaron Judge and Juan Soto all year and Austin Wells has begun to provide it — especially in Friday’s 6-3 win over the Cardinals, when the rookie catcher delivered the first two-homer game of his young career.

“I’m having a lot of fun with it,’’ Wells said of the responsibility of hitting behind Judge in the cleanup spot, as he did again Friday. “I’m accepting it and embracing the challenge.”

Wells came through for the first time in the third inning against right-hander Erick Fedde after the Cardinals pitched to Judge with Soto on second base and one out.

They got away with it, as Judge popped out as part of an 0-for-4, three-strikeout night.

But after Soto’s RBI double tied the game earlier in the inning, Wells hit a two-run, go-ahead homer in front of a sellout crowd in The Bronx.

The catcher hit another two-run shot in the eighth, this one with two outs, to help seal the win.

“Those were two big at-bats,’’ Aaron Boone said. “He continues to be a real presence in the middle of our order.”

Wells’ power left the Cardinals still looking for their first win at Yankee Stadium since the 1964 World Series.

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And the victory came after the Yankees dropped two of three to the lowly Nationals in Washington.

The Yankees also got another encouraging start from Marcus Stroman, who gave up two runs in seven innings, as he pitched around nine hits, but didn’t allow any walks.

Stroman and Boone also credited Wells for his work behind the plate, where he’s also impressed.

But his production on offense has really taken off after a rough first two months of the season.

And he’s got a dozen extra-base hits in his last 30 games.

“I think you’re seeing the experience and maturity of a good hitter,” Boone said. “That’s who we drafted.”

Wells was considered a hitting-first catcher coming out of the University of Arizona and now seems to be comfortable in all aspects of the game.

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“The last two months, he’s turned a corner,’’ Boone said.

So did Stroman on Friday after a bumpy first three innings.

The right-hander allowed four straight two-out singles in the third.

Brendan Donovan’s run-scoring base hit through the right side of the infield tied the game and Paul Goldschmidt’s single to center gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead.

Soto, coming off a miserable 0-for-12 series against his former team in Washington, tied the game again in the third with his second hit of the night.

His double to center scored Gleyber Torres from first.

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Wells then hit his first homer of the night, a shot to right-center, to make it 4-2.

His second shot, also to right-center, was his 12th of the season.

Only Gary Sanchez has hit more home runs as a rookie in franchise history, with 20 in 2016.

Stroman, meanwhile, cruised after the third.

After needing 61 pitches to get through three innings, the right-hander threw just 37 over the next four in his longest outing since June 22.

In four starts since being given added rest following back-to-back ugly outings, Stroman has gone 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA.

Jake Cousins gave up a two-out solo shot to Nolan Arenado in the eighth to make it a one-run game.

Tommy Kahnle finished the inning before Clay Holmes picked up the save, as the closer overcame some shaky defense by Anthony Volpe.

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