Rodriguez does no damage with bat

READING, Pa. — On his second swing last night, Alex Rodriguez sent his bat flying into the stands, scattering fans behind the thirdbase dugout. No one was hurt, reaffirming that Rodriguez may never again do much damage with his bat

With girlfriend Torrie Wilson sitting in the first row behind home plate, Rodriguez went 0for3 with a sacrifice fly as the Trenton Thunder, the Yankees’ DoubleA affili ate, lost to the Reading Fightin’ Phils, 63, at FirstEnergy Stadium.

His Ofer came one night after he went 2for4, including the first home run of his 20day “Bad Hip Over America Tour,” which . is scheduled to end on Sunday. On Monday, Rodriguez is penciled in to rejoin the Yankees in Texas.

“I think the test for me [tonight] was [it was] the first time I played four days in a row sevenplus innings,” he said. “So that was a good sign.”

With just a few days left until his return either to the majors or to the organization’s Tampa headquarters for more rehab, Rodriguez has just five hits in 28 atbats spread over various minor league levels. That’s a .179 batting average in any league.

“I’ve never really played any at tention to rehab statistics,” Rodriguez said. “I’m happy about putting the barrel of the bat on the ball tonight four times. Four times on the barrel, solid contact, swinging at strikes. That’s what I’m looking for.’’

Rodriguez, who began his postgame interview asking about teammate Robinson Cano — hit with a pitch by Matt Harvey of the Mets in last night’s AllStar Game — said he would not play in today’s noon game here. However, he will work out at the ballpark this morning.

He said he will play somewhere tomorrow — either with the Thunder in Trenton or at TripleA Scranton/WilkesBarre — but was waiting for “instructions.”

He feigned ignorance when asked about going to Trenton.

“Where’s that?’’ Rodriguez asked. Told it was in New Jersey, he said, “I’ve never been.”