DETROIT – Paging Mr. Phil Hughes.
Or maybe that is too obvious a move for the Yankees. Nevertheless, it no longer makes sense sending Sidney Ponson to the mound for a whipping every fifth day.
While Ponson was torturing his team at Comerica Park yesterday, the 22-year-old Hughes allowed one run over 52/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Another option for starting duty, Alfredo Aceves, sat in the Yankees’ bullpen.
In the end, the Yanks escaped with a 13-9 victory over the Tigers, a cause for celebration only in that Joe Girardi’s beleaguered bunch avoided the humiliation of blowing a nine-run lead.
“I don’t care how it looks,” said Derek Jeter, whose Yankees sit 7 games behind the Red Sox in the wild-card race as Boston defeated Baltimore, 7-4, last night at Fenway Park.
“I’ll take an ugly win over playing one and losing.”
Ponson was brutal, allowing seven runs on nine hits over three innings, perhaps the final straw for the Yankees as they try to hold their rotation together for what they hope is a miracle push.
Ponson has lasted less than five innings in each of his last three starts, pitching to the tune of a 15.83 ERA in the process.
“I pitched like [garbage], so I don’t know what to say,” Ponson said.
Predictably, Girardi said he stands behind Ponson, and indicated he has no plans to remove the right-hander from the rotation. The manager pointed to the fact Ponson was hit in the hand by a Jeff Larish chopper leading off the fourth. The Tigers scored six runs in the inning to pull within 11-8.
“Hopefully [the hand] doesn’t affect his next turn, but we’ll see,” Girardi said.
Ponson said his hand was fine, and refused to make it an issue.
“I don’t make excuses,” he said. “I didn’t pitch well. That’s the bottom line.”
As bad as Ponson was, Tigers starter Justin Verlander (10-15) was worse. The right-hander lasted only 1 2/3 innings, in which he allowed eight runs (three unearned) on seven hits and two walks.
The Yankees’ biggest hit may have come in the sixth, after Detroit closed within 11-9, when Jeter smashed a two-run single against Aquilino Lopez.
The Yanks had their share of early offensive highlights, from Bobby Abreu’s three hits in the first three innings to Johnny Damon’s solo homer and Alex Rodriguez’s four RBIs.
But the Tigers came roaring in the fourth. Brandon Inge and Miguel Cabrera each homered in an inning that gained steam with Robinson Cano’s fielding error. Edwar Ramirez replaced Ponson after the error and allowed a sacrifice fly to Magglio Ordonez before surrendering the two-run blast to Cabrera.
Ramirez allowed a run in the fifth before Brian Bruney (2-0), Phil Coke, Damaso Marte and Chris Britton combined for 4 2/3innings of scoreless relief.
The road show continues, with the Yankees headed to Tampa Bay for the start of a three-game series tonight (yesterday was the makeup of a May 11 rainout). The Yanks then head to Seattle and Anaheim for three games apiece.
Even as the Yanks chase Boston and Minnesota for the wild card, Jeter said he’s only paying attention to his own team – his own – with 25 games remaining.
“If we win 25 in a row … do you think we’ll make it?” Jeter said. “I’m just asking the question. Obviously you need help, but we just need to try and win every game. You drive yourself crazy worrying about what other teams are doing.”
mpuma@nypost.com