MLB

YANKEES ALONE IN FIRST AS MITRE STOPS O’S

They can’t beat the Red Sox, yet the Yankees are on top of their blood rivals in the AL East by a game.

And after spending a shipload of money on CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, it was Sergio Mitre who helped pitch the Yankees into sole possession of first place last night.

Not Roy Halladay, Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn or Cliff Lee.

It was Sergio Mitre, a right-hander who missed all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in November and was suspended in January for failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs.

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“I don’t look at it as a fill-in,” Mitre said after the Yankees topped the Orioles 6-4 in front of 45,589 at Yankee Stadium in a game that was delayed 26 minutes at the start due to rain. “I know I can pitch here and get the ball every fifth day.”

Long-range, that remains to be seen. But with a hole in the No. 5 slot caused by Chien-Ming Wang’s second trip to the disabled list with a balky shoulder and uncertain future, the 28-year-old Mitre will start Sunday against Oakland.

In 5 2/3 innings Mitre, who was suspended for the first 50 games this season, allowed four runs (three earned), eight hits, walked one and fanned four. It was his first major league start since Sept. 15, 2007, with Florida and first win since July 29, 2007.

With the way the Yankees are playing — they are on a five-game winning streak — and the Red Sox swooning — four-game skid — and the putrid A’s in The Bronx for four games starting tomorrow, who knows what the Yankees’ bulge will be over the Red Sox, who are 8-0 against the Yankees this year, by the time Mitre throws Sunday.

Mitre was signed to a minor league contract that pays him $1.25 million at the major league level. Since he didn’t arrive until yesterday, he will make less than $625,000 if he remains with the club for the rest of the season. Compared to Sabathia’s $161 million and Burnett’s $82.5 million, Mitre’s money is considered ashtray coin.

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Even though the Yankees are on top of the East for the first time since June 8, Derek Jeter insisted it was too soon to begin scoreboard watching.

“First place, it’s way too early for all that,” said Jeter, who singled in the third and was one of two runners to score on Alex Rodriguez’ two-out single to left off loser Rich Hill (3-3). “We don’t get caught up in first place, but it’s great that there is nobody in front of us.”

Robinson Cano added a two-run homer in the fourth, which provided a 6-2 cushion that was reduced to 6-4 in the sixth when the O’s chased Mitre. Melvin Mora drove in two with a one-out single single before Mitre caught Nolan Reimold looking at a 1-2 pitch.

That was Mitre’s 91st and final pitch, because Joe Girardi called for Alfredo Aceves to face Matt Wieters, who ended the inning with a stress-free fly to left.

Phil Coke worked a scoreless eighth and Mariano Rivera was perfect in the ninth for his 27th save in 28 attempts.

“It was OK, pretty good for being overly excited,” Mitre said of his outing. “It was an extremely long way back. I was too excited today. I didn’t feel like my feet were on the ground today.”

george.king@nypost.com