HOLE NEW ISSUE

Slumping Sanchez leaves in 14th after cramping up

Gary Sanchez may have a bigger problem than his embarrassingly low batting average.

The Yankees’ power-hitting catcher fell even deeper into his season-opening slump by going 0-for-6 in a, 7-3, 14-inning loss to the Orioles at Yankees Stadium. He also was removed in the f inal inning with a right leg injury.

Sanchez was catching when the injury occurred, though his leg didn’t appear to make contact with anything before he started grabbing it.

Sanchez is now 2-for-32, with no walks, this season, and is batting .063.

“He is getting close. He is just missing some balls,” hitting coach Marcus Thames said before the game. “He is feeling good. I’ve been excited about him for the last few days.”

Only one swing from Sanchez provided any optimism — a ground ball to third, with an exit velocity more than 114 mph.

But that was an out, just like nearly every other at-bat he has had this season, and the swings looked as weak as his numbers suggest.

With runners at the corners, and one out, in the f irst inning, Sanchez whiffed on a 2-0 pitch, then grounded out on a slow dribbler to the pitcher, which didn’t even reach the mound.

Then, with the Yankees trailing 3-2, Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius led off the sixth with singles, but Sanchez hit into a f ielder’s choice to the shortstop.

With Gregorius on second with no outs in the 11th, Sanchez grounded out again. In the 13th, he popped out, with Aaron Judge on second.

Though last season’s major league-leader in passed balls hasn’t surrendered one yet this season, Sanchez also allowed his f irst three wild pitches of the season Friday night.

“When you’re that good of a hitter, as young as he is or in the prime of your career, that’s a matter of time,” manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “That just means somebody’s going to pay at some point. I don’t even sweat that. As great a hitter as he is, I don’t sweat that at all. That’ll come. What I’m excited about is the impact he’s having on a daily basis behind the plate.”

Bill Kostroun CAN’T CATCH A BREAK: Gary Sanchez leaves the game after cramping up in the top of the 14th inning after catching 252 of the 265 pitches thrown by the Yankees in a loss to the Orioles on Friday.