HOUSTON — Here we go again.

The Yankees, fresh off their ALDS-clinching win over Cleveland in The Bronx on Tuesday night, came to the place where their last two ALCS appearances ended: Minute Maid Park.

This series didn’t get off to a promising start either for the Yankees, who dropped this year’s ALCS opener, 4-2, on Wednesday.

Justin Verlander shut down the Yankees’ offense and Clarke Schmidt and Frankie Montas combined to give up three homers out of the bullpen, as the Astros — who have yet to lose this postseason — pulled away for the victory and the Yankees couldn’t rally.

“You want to play against the best and compete against the best,’’ Aaron Judge said. “That’s what we’ve got in front of us.’’

On Wednesday, that included Verlander, who gave up one run in six innings and struck out 11.

Jameson Taillon, who’d pitched just once since Oct. 4, allowed just one run in 4 ¹/₃ innings before Schmidt took over in the fifth and got out of a jam.

But Yuli Gurriel hit a go-ahead homer to lead off the bottom of the sixth and Chas McCormick another solo shot one out later.

Montas gave up a leadoff homer to Jeremy Peña in the seventh to make it 4-1.

Anthony Rizzo homered with two outs in the eighth off Rafael Montero to get the Yankees within two runs.

Giancarlo Stanton singled to bring up the tying run, Josh Donaldson, who walked after striking out in his first three at-bats of the night.

Houston closer Ryan Pressly entered to face Matt Carpenter, who fanned for the fourth straight time to end the threat.

The Yankees will turn to Luis Severino in Game 2 and hope the offense comes alive against left-hander Framber Valdez.

“We’ve got to find a way to have a short memory and forget the way it went today,’’ Carpenter said.

Rizzo noted the Yankees got this far by winning two in a row after blowing Game 3 in Cleveland, proving they can overcome adversity.

“We just did it a couple days ago,’’ Rizzo said. “I’m not really worried about that.”

Still, the Yankees had their chances to do more against Verlander.

They threatened in the top of the first — with some help from the Astros.

After Verlander got Gleyber Torres and Judge to start the game, the right-hander drilled Rizzo with an 0-2 pitch and Stanton followed by reaching on a throwing error by Jose Altuve.

But Donaldson went down swinging to end the inning. It was the first of 17 strikeouts by the Yankees.

Harrison Bader gave the Yankees the lead in the top of the second with his fourth home run of the playoffs, a rocket solo shot to left-center.

The lead didn’t last.

With two outs in the bottom of the inning, light-hitting catcher Martin Maldonado ripped a run-scoring double to right-center.

Rizzo walked and Stanton doubled to right with one out in the third, but Donaldson and Carpenter both whiffed, as Verlander went on to strike out six straight and retire 11 in a row.

Schmidt entered in the fifth and with the bases loaded and one out, got Kyle Tucker to ground into a double play to keep the game tied.

But Schmidt faltered in the sixth.

It’s just the latest postseason defeat in Houston for the Yankees, who have never won a playoff series against the Astros and were 0-3 in the regular season at Minute Maid Park.

After the last meeting between the teams here in July, Aaron Boone said none of it would matter once this time of year rolled around.

“Ultimately, we may have to slay the dragon, right?” Boone said then. “If it comes to it in October, the proof will be in the pudding. Do we get it done?

So far, they haven’t.