DETROIT — The expectations were sub-basement low for A.J. Burnett; the anxiety about his start high.
Joe Girardi, outwardly supportive of his unreliable righty, showed his true feelings by having warm-up action going in the first as Burnett participated in a walk-a-thon. It was very important to the Yankees manager that Burnett not lose a potential elimination game.
But who saw Burnett winning it coming? Who saw him outpitching not just Rick Porcello last night, but CC Sabathia, as well?
“I was thrilled for him,” Girardi said. “But I was thrilled for us, too.”
That is because the Yankees get at least one more home game thanks to their leader in Bronx jeers. Burnett pulled a Jim Beattie and — more important — did not pull a Kevin Brown or Jaret Wright or Kenny Rogers.
For one night, Burnett was not a heartbreaker — he was a hero. Inches from infamy in the first inning if Curtis Granderson does not make a pivotal catch, Burnett settled down to hold the Tigers to one run in 5 2/3 innings. That exceeded what was anticipated by roughly the distance from Motown to the Canyon of Heroes.
Burnett refused to give in to a first inning that he described as “nerve-wracking” or a Victor Martinez homer in the fourth or an utter lack of faith that he could summon a big performance. The final of Game 4 was 10-1, but when Burnett delivered his 17 outs the score was much tighter. Which is why his work was so vital in knotting this division series at two games apiece.
Game 5 is tomorrow and suddenly Burnett can show his face at the Stadium and be in better stead with the fans. He’s not absolved of the past two years of defective pitching, but he put something on the positive side of the ledger that, say, Jeff Weaver and Javier Vazquez and even Randy Johnson never did in the playoffs as Yankees. Burnett had his high moments in the 2009 postseason, specifically in beating the Phillies in World Series Game 2. And now he has this. A victory in a series in which the Yankees were desperate not to use him; a high point within 24 months of mounting distrust and misery in his workplace.
“The last couple of weeks he has gotten his confidence back,” pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. “He has been through hell and back. It has not been an easy two years.”
It was so bad that he was supposed to be just the long man in this series, but that got scuttled when rain suspended Game 1 and forced the Yankees to need a fourth starter. Burnett started because the team had no other choices — not that he was a choice they wanted.
Girardi and his players said the appropriate stuff about trusting Burnett. But his penchant for losing focus, command and games is now well documented. Asking him to save your season is a little bit like asking Rex Ryan to protect the cookie jar.
And when Burnett was, in his own estimation, “overthrowing” in the first, walking three of the first five hitters, well, what alternative did Girardi have; Cory Wade began warming. Don Kelly then lined a shot to center that Granderson did not read well initially. He retreated just in time to catch the ball with his arm fully extended behind him. If the ball eludes Granderson, Girardi thought it might have been an inside-the-park grand slam — and if the Yanks were instantly down 4-0, Girardi almost certainly takes out Burnett.
“You have to be prepared when you are in a must-win situation” Girardi said of a quick hook.
But a funny thing happened on the way to pinstripe hell, Burnett took advantage of that catch. He had quick innings, threw strikes with his fastball, unleashed a wicked curve. The Yankees grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third on a two-run Derek Jeter double.
Burnett then began what felt like a typical decline phase in the fourth. He fell behind 3-1 to Victor Martinez leading off and surrendered a deep homer to right. It was 2-1. Jhonny Peralta smashed a one-out double. Now Phil Hughes was warming. One more baserunner and Burnett is done. But he struck out the next two hitters — Alex Avila and Wilson Betemit — on just seven pitches. None of the familiar heartburn and drama.
Instead — surprise, surprise — Burnett got two outs into the sixth, won a game. He didn’t kill the Yanks. He helped save a season.
joel.sherman@nypost.com