Soaking it in: Austin hits first walk-off homer

NEW YORK — Tyler Austin raised his right fist in the air as he rounded the bases for his first career walk-off homer, later remarking that he couldn’t imagine a happier moment. To the Yankees, you could file it as more evidence that no stage seems too big for these baby Bombers.

Austin mashed an Erasmo Ramirez fastball over the right-center-field wall and was doused in a raucous home plate celebration as the giddy Yankees toasted their fifth consecutive win on Thursday, a 5-4 victory over the Rays that continued to close the distance in their unlikely postseason chase.

“I don’t think it gets any better than that right there,” Austin said. “I am extremely happy to be a part of this team, and happy to be here.”

The Yankees are equally thrilled with the early results of their midseason youth movement. Since Aug. 13, the afternoon that Austin and Aaron Judge each homered in their first Major League plate appearances, New York has rattled off 15 wins in 24 games to move a season-high nine games above .500.

“There’s not a better feeling than that. There’s not,” said Brian McCann, who homered twice on Thursday. “In this sport, as a hitter, when you hit a walk-off to win a game for your team — it’s a high. He’s not going to sleep tonight, that’s for …

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