Girardi pushes right buttons in last stand

JOE GIRARDI is holding his players more accountable and making some strategic moves with his lineup. It’s about time.

There is no room for error. The Yankees cannot afford one misstep.

After so many frustrating starts, Michael Pineda stepped up Wednesday night in an easy 5-0 win over the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, pitching six shutout innings.

The Yankees have won four straight against teams directly ahead of them after going 6-17 against the Red Sox, Orioles and Blue Jays earlier in the year.

Demoting Nathan Eovaldi to the bullpen and then having him start Tuesday in the Yankees’ 7-1 win over the Orioles was a good sign, too.

Changing the lineup a bit has helped as Didi Gregorius has been moved up because of the success he is having at the plate.

Success is being rewarded, it’s not just all pre-programmed Joe’s Binder.

“I think I’m pretty urgent all the time, I take each game like it’s the biggest game of the year,’’ Girardi said. “I’ve been taught that, but you know, with the situation looming, it’s really important as we move forward and in a sense it’s playoff baseball for us and we have to play extremely well.’’

Girardi may take each game that way but now the message is clearly getting through to his players.

“I think they’re responding especially after we lost two to start out this homestand, they’ve responded well,’’ Girardi said. “They need to keep doing that.’’

Flip-flopping Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner to counter opponents’ shifts also is a plus. Gardner scored the Yankees’ first run in the first after a leadoff triple and a sacrifice fly by Carlos Beltran, and knocked in the fourth run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Girardi has gotten more proactive and that at least has the Yankees a bit more accountable and not such a country-club experience in The Bronx.

Mark Teixeira was back in the lineup after missing three straight games after fouling a ball off his left foot. Teixeira admitted it has been a “brutal’’ season for him. He homered in the fourth, only his eighth home run of the season.

“We know we can play with the best,’’ Teixeira said.

Girardi decided to sit Alex Rodriguez, play Aaron Hicks in right and insert Beltran at designated hitter. Hicks went 0-for-3 to drop his average to .194. Rodriguez hit the 696th home run of his career Monday. Beltran blasted his 20th home run of the season in the eighth.

Rodriguez declined to talk about not starting, but told The Post, “I feel good, I’m ready to go.’’ Rodriguez is hitting just .213 and is now focusing totally on trying to lift the ball. He put on an impressive display in batting practice.

Girardi is trying to find time and rest for both Beltran and A-Rod.

“It’s kind of day by day and matchups is what I’m doing,’’ Girardi said.

This is The Last Homestand, and after beating the Red Sox once and the Orioles three straight the Yankees are 48-46, still in fourth place.

They need to go on a huge run to make up lost ground.

When asked why his team has underachieved this season, Girardi said: “Inconsistent play, I think, offensively, maybe some of the production we were expecting we haven’t gotten yet, that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen and that it can get really hot. Some of it has been because of health reasons and different reasons, and I think pitching we haven’t been as consistent as maybe we expected, the starters. It’s really been the inconsistent play.’’

Teixeira has eight home runs, Rodriguez owns nine. The Yankees need much more from both. Last season the two hit a combined 64 home runs.

“I don’t know if you have anyone who can make up 64 home runs,’’ Girardi said. “That’s difficult, but you have to score your runs in other ways. People have to pick up the slack.’’

Girardi knows he has no time to spare. The Yankees have responded to Girardi’s moves lately but it may be too late.