DETROIT — With the fifth starter role in limbo because of Anibal Sanchez’s injury, and Justin Verlander still a question mark, the Tigers can’t afford many poor starts from their top three of Max Scherzer, David Price and Rick Porcello.

So it was a sickening feeling, watching Price implode in the third inning vs. the Yankees on Wednesday, when he allowed nine straight hits without recording an out.

It was the second-shortest start of his career, behind a 1 1/3 inning appearance against the Texas Rangers on July 4, 2009.

Price allowed a leadoff single to Jacoby Ellsbury, followed by an RBI double by Derek Jeter, a single by Martin Prado, and an RBI double by Mark Teixeira.

Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann and Chase Headley all dropped in singles before Brett Gardner beat out an infield single to deep short. Francisco Cervelli’s single to left knocked Price out of the game.

The MLB record for consecutive hits by one team is 11. The most consecutive hits Price had ever given up was five in the bottom of the second inning on Sept. 5, 2013, against the LA Angels.

Manager Brad Ausmus replaced Price with Blaine Hardy, who got a pair of sacrifice flies, followed by a groundout, making the final damage eight runs in the third — the most Price has ever given up in any inning of his career, according to ESPN Stats and Info.