BRETT UOTTA HERE!

Slumping Gardner puts Yanks over top to keep scorching streak going

BRETT Gardner was confident before the game Wednesday night. He knew he had struggled but felt good about his swing and his team.

“With all the talent we have, other guys can pick you up, there is no pressure on me or anyone,’’ Gardner told The Post of this Yankees ballclub.

He then went out and backed up his words, doubling twice and tripling. The triple to leftcenter in the eighth inning off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel scored two runs and put the Yankees ahead, 7-6.

Aaron Judge followed with a two-run home run to set off the party as the Yankees won, 9-6 at a wild Yankee Stadium before 47,088 fans to march into first place in the AL East.

This was Gardner’s first threehit game since Sept. 27. It was his first multi-hit game since April 16.

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Gardner had been 1-for-6 against Kimbrel. The 3-2 pitch from Kimbrel was 97 mph. Gardner’s exit velocity was 101.2 mph. His exit velocity has been solid of late even though he came in hitting .198. Gardner’s sprint speed on the triple was 28.7 feet per second.

Numbers, though, don’t tell Brett Gardner’s story. Here’s what does. “He’s just a broad-shouldered tough player,’’ Aaron Boone said. “You appreciate that, especially here. So no matter the situation, no matter what’s going on with him, he just has the way of competing in the biggest spots that you cherish.’’

Those were the perfect words by the manager who is pushing the perfect buttons as the Yankees won for the 17th time in 18 games.

When those words were passed to Gardner he took a second to reflect on what his manager said, and noted, “That’s quite the compliment. I try to show up here and be the same guy every day whether I’m going great or whether I’m going bad and try to help the team win.’’

Gardner, 34, pointed to a moment in his 2008 rookie year that taught him a valuable lesson.

“I remember standing next to A-Rod,” he said, “and he was doing an interview and I think he struck out four times that night. I remember him saying, ‘That’s the one good thing about baseball, we get the chance to come back and redeem ourselves tomorrow.’ I never forgot that. I try to take it one day at a time, learn from what happened yesterday and today and try to apply that to tomorrow and try to keep getting better.’’

The leadoff hitter sets a toughguy tone, the rest of the Yankees follow.

“Gardy really shows the way in here,’’ Judge said. “He shows us how to play the game.’’

The Yankees are playing the game.

They have won eight in a row, are 5-0 on the homestand and a season-high 16 games over .500 at 26-10.

During the crazy 17-1 streak they have won games in every way imaginable — at home and on the road, against good teams and bad.

Their clubhouse has incredible talent, and has grinders like Gardner. Noted Red Sox manager Alex Cora of Gardner, “He saw the ball well all night. We identified Gardner, that’s the guy we want for Craig. We talked about it before the game.’’

Neil Walker is a keen observer and this is what he has noticed about the Yankees his short time here.

“The veterans on this team, Gardy and some of these guys that have been here for a long time, you never see them panic. Whether they are going through tough stretches as an individual or as a group you always see them right here,’’ Walker said, holding out his right hand in a level manner. “The younger guys really take note of that as the game is going along you never see panic whether we are down three in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning, whatever the case may be, we are finding ways to win in totally different ways, not just hitting home runs. You are seeing guys use the whole field. We’re finding ways to give ourselves a chance.’’

Gardner used the whole field Wednesday night. He did not panic.