HOUSTON — The Yankees better get their game on.

With unbeatable Gerrit Cole on the mound, the Astros got back to being the Astros Thursday night, thumping the Rays, 6-1, in Game 5 of the ALDS at Minute Maid Park to move onto the long-anticipated ALCS rematch with the Yankees.

In 2017, the Astros beat the Yankees all four games at the Juice Box, and they won all three games here against the Rays this series.

This is the ALCS America wanted: Astros versus Yankees.

“It’s definitely been brewing, we heard about it from the first series we played each other, ‘Here’s the ALCS preview,’ ’’ Justin Verlander told two reporters in the champagne, beer and cigar smoke-filled Astros clubhouse. “It worked out. The Yankees are a hell of a ballclub, these are two incredible powerhouse teams, we’ll find ourselves in the middle of the ring here in a couple of days and we’ll be going at it.’’

The Astros are ready. This wild and crazy ballpark is ready.

The Rays put the Astros in a position where they had to be at peak efficiency to move on. The Astros scored four times in the first inning Thursday to take control against Tyler Glasnow. The Astros were on every one of Glasnow’s pitches. Yankees pitchers are going to have to find a way not to tip their pitches to the Astros.

The Astros have supreme confidence in themselves, especially when they play here.

“This is a different ballpark, a different aesthetic for visiting teams, and the crowd is incredible for the playoffs. When we come home, it’s game on,’’ said Verlander, who will start Game 2.

Alex Bregman drilled a two-run double in the first. The Astros broke it open in the eighth with home runs from Michael Brantley and Jose Altuve.

Cole (one run over eight innings) sailed along with 10 strikeouts, the 11th straight game he has done that, and he has 18 straight wins over his last 24 starts. The Rays did the Yankees a solid by extending this to five games. Cole will not start until Tuesday in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.

Rays pitchers got the Astros ready as Bregman, a hitting machine, pointed out.

“The Yankees are a really good team, we’ve got a really good team and our thoughts were we would have to play each other in the postseason,’’ Bregman said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun, 100 percent this is going to be an exciting matchup.

“That pitching staff the Rays have,’’ Bregman added, “that ball looks tiny and it’s coming in hot and it is moving everywhere, so we’re prepared.’’

“Yeah, the Yankees, obviously are a formidable squad,’’ Cole said. “The AL East, we all know what that division poses with the reigning world champions, and obviously the Tampa Bay Rays hanging in there.

“The Yankees got a lot of talent, a boatload of talent. It’s just kind of how they’re always made. They’re very stoic. They grind out a lot of at-bats. It’s going to be a tough matchup.”

Bregman loves playing at Yankee Stadium.

“It’s a lot of fun,’’ he said. “They’ve got a great fan base, a great crowd, they know the game. My mom is actually from New York City, she was a big Yankee fan growing up, so I’ve watched games on TV all the time. It’s similar to here. It’s incredible.’’

As for his thoughts on Cole, Bregman broke down his ace: “He’s got every pitch in every quadrant. He’s special.’’

During the regular season the Astros were 60-21 at home, a franchise best, as they became just the 13th team in MLB history to win 60 home games in a season. The last team to do so? The 1998 Yankees (62-19). Including the postseason, the Astros are 35-8 in their last 43 games at Minute Maid Park.

The Rays hoped to shock the world. One of their owners, Randy Frankel, wore a “Don’t Stop Believing’’ T-shirt that he wore for good luck in the Rays wins at the Trop.

The Journey ended. The Yankees-Astros journey begins anew.

The Astros had to battle past the Rays to get here. The Rays made it difficult, but also sharpened the playoff blade for the Astros.

Game on. Enjoy.