Boone: Gary still starting in WC game

Aaron Boone left no doubt on Saturday that Gary Sanchez will be behind the plate for the Yankees wild-card game, regardless of who is pitching.

Asked if Sanchez — who has struggled defensively throughout his career — was definitely the starting catcher for the win-or-go home game, Boone said: “Yeah.”

Boone also said he didn’t anticipate replacing Sanchez with Austin Romine late in the game.

Sanchez then went out and had a brutal game, with a passed ball and a throwing error leading to an unearned run in the third. He managed to block the plate successfully in the fifth, when Aaron Judge threw out Steve Wilkerson.

The manager conceded before the game that Sanchez has to be better in that area of his game.

“He needs to continue to be better at it,’’ Boone said before the Yankees clinched a playoff berth with a 3-2, 11inning win over the Orioles on Saturday at the Stadium. “But I would say the vast majority of the work he’s done [defensively] has been positive.”

Boone said he believes Sanchez has been better since he returned from a second stint on the disabled list. Saturday was Sanchez’s 15th game behind the plate since coming back. He made a throwing error on a stolen base attempt on Friday. And he’s made five of his 15 passed balls since then.

“Honestly, winning for me is everything,’’ Sanchez said through an interpreter. “Stats and numbers … they don’t mean anything unless you win.’’

In addition to the issues behind the plate, Sanchez has been even more disappointing offensively. After another hitless game, Sanchez is 9-for-58 with two homers and a pair of doubles since the second groin injury. Sanchez was bumped down to the No. 8 spot, the lowest he had started a game since San- chez’s first full week in the majors over two years ago.

“I still go back to just thinking he’s such a natural hitter that I think it’s hard to hold those guys down for such a long period,’’ Boone said. “That’s what I’m going on and hopefully there is that stretch in him where he really gains some momentum with some good, positive at-bats where he gets some results and it snowballs from there.”

Aroldis Chapman’s second appearance after returning from left knee tendinitis went much better than his first, as he threw a perfect seventh inning, despite diminished velocity.

“I felt good,’’ Chapman said through an interpreter. “The speed wasn’t where it usually is, but my command was much better and that’s really important.”

He sat mostly at 95 mph with his fastball.

“That doesn’t worry me at all,’’ Chapman said. “I know the speed is there. It’s just a matter of getting out there and my getting rhythm back. Maybe after two more outings I’ll be back to being the pitcher I’ve been.”

Chapman was one of six relievers to hold Baltimore scoreless.

“Obviously, our bullpen is so important to what we do,’’ Boone said. “I would imagine if we win big they’ll play a huge role. … Baltimore really held us down today. We had to keep throwing zeroes up.”

Luke Voit’s magical run continued with a homer in the playoff-clinching win.

“I’m having the time of my life,’’ Voit said. “This has been the craziest year of my life, man. Going up and down with St. Louis and spending a lot of time in Triple-A when I didn’t really think that was going to happen, it sucked, but I had to stay mentally strong. Luckily [GM] Brian Cashman gave me a chance to come over here.” —