ANAHEIM, Calif. — Phil Hughes isn’t exactly rising to the occasion this October.
After a four-month stretch in which he was just about money in the bank setting up Mariano Rivera, the right-hander last night continued his playoff roller-coaster ride.
Hughes surrendered two hits and a walk in the seventh inning, helping the Angels complete their go-ahead rally in a 7-6 victory over the Yankees in Game 5 of the ALCS.
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Manager Joe Girardi yanked starter A.J. Burnett with runners on first and second and nobody out in the seventh with the Yankees ahead by two runs. Damaso Marte entered and allowed an RBI groundout to Bobby Abreu — following a sacrifice bunt — before Hughes was summoned.
Hughes walked Torii Hunter and allowed an RBI single to Vladimir Guerrero that tied the game before Kendry Morales’ RBI single against Hughes put the Angels ahead.
“He’s still making pitches,” manager Joe Girardi said. “He got to counts that he wanted to, and wasn’t able to put Vlad Guerrero away. We believe that he’s going to get it done.
“This is the time of year that everything gets a little bit tougher, but we like his stuff and we believe he’ll get it done.”
Hughes struggled in two of his three ALDS appearances against the Twins. His biggest previous meltdown was in Game 2 of the ALDS, when he surrendered two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning.
“It’s very disappointing,” Hughes said. “We did a great job fighting back into the game. Marte did a great job. It’s disappointing — I let the ballgame get away.
“I tried to be too fine to Hunter. Guerrero I wanted it up and in, but it was right down the middle.”
mpuma@nypost.com