Phil Hughes was begging to be beaten.
The righthander’s bounce-back season didn’t take a step back in the Yankees 6-3 win over the Blue Jays last night at Yankee Stadium, but Hughes’ uneven performance, earning him a no-decision, mirrored the 26-year-old’s inconsistent career.
Despite allowing two runs over seven innings, Hughes’ first start of the season’s second-half was more of a labor than any box score could suggest.
“It was a battle today,” said Hughes, who is 9-7 with a 4.22 ERA this season. “I was constantly behind in counts and trying to battle back into counts. It was a little bit tough. It was a grind and I hung in there and just tried to keep it close. Unfortunately I gave up a lead, but the guys battled back.”
After being spotted a 2-0 lead after three innings, Hughes surrendered runs in two of the next three innings, finishing his day with four hits allowed, four strikeouts, three walks and one wild pitch.
Hughes may have only surrendered four hits, but he was hit hard. The potent Blue Jays lineup was rarely fooled by Hughes’ fastball-curveball combination, making excellent contact, though rarely finding open blades of grass.
Hughes had trouble maintaining control, leaving curveballs high and fastballs outside, eventually totaling 106 pitches, with 61 strikes.
“I was just missing a little bit,” Hughes said. “Balls were coming back over the plate a little bit too much. I didn’t really have a good feel on my curveball, probably not my best fastball.”
Hughes faced his first trouble in the second inning after giving up a double to Edwin Encarnacion and a walk to Adam Lind. Inexplicably, Yunel Escobar swung on the first pitch of the next at-bat, flying out to right and beginning a trend of three straight outs in the air.
Hughes avoided danger again until the fourth. After escaping a Jose Bautista shot to the warning track and an Encarnacion liner directly at Raul Ibanez in left, Hughes’ luck would end with the next batter as Adam Lind hit a line drive homer to right to cut the Yankees lead to 2-1.
Hughes then appeared to allow the tying run on a Colby Rasmus fly ball to open the sixth, but Nick Swisher made the catch in right with his back pressed against the outfield wall. However, Hughes couldn’t keep the Jays at bay much longer as he walked Bautista and gave up another rocket-fueled double to Encarnacion, trying the game at two.
“There were a lot of fortunate fly outs and pop ups,” Hughes said. “A lot of times those don’t come back. I need to maybe hone in on the zone a little bit more, but I’ll take it. Hopefully the next one’s a little bit better.”
Before Hughes kept himself in line for the no-decision, Yankees manager Joe Girardi made a questionable decision, sending the starter back out in the seventh inning, already at 99 pitches.
Hughes rewarded his manager’s faith, ending the inning after seven pitches, despite surrendering a double to Rajai Davis, who had been hitless over his previous 25 at-bats.
“I love the way he competed,” Girardi said. “He stayed away from the big inning and got big outs when he needed to. Getting us through seven was big for us.”
howard.kussoy@nypost.com