Yankees’ Aaron Boone stands behind using Clay Holmes for just 10 pitches

MILWAUKEE — Clay Holmes breezed through three batters in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night on 10 pitches.

But when the game got to the bottom of the 10th with the Yankees leading by one run, manager Aaron Boone went to new reliever Michael Tonkin — one of the last two arms he had available out of the bullpen — instead of asking Holmes to pitch a second inning.

Boone was left to defend his decision after the Yankees fell to the Brewers, 7-6 in 11 innings, at American Family Field.

Joey Ortiz belts a game-winning single off Michael Tonkin in the 11th inning of the Yankees’ 7-6 loss to the Brewers. Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

“[Holmes] is on about an 80-game pace in April, and with some of the attrition we’ve had in our bullpen, wasn’t going to send the closer out for — I’ll do four outs this time of year and those kind of things, but wasn’t going to send him out for a second inning,” Boone said.

Friday marked Holmes’ 13th appearance in the Yankees’ 27th game of the season, putting him on an unsustainable pace for 78 appearances.

He has been sharp in the early going — he has now thrown 13 straight innings without allowing an earned run to start the season — but Boone was adamant about not risking his health.

Coming into Friday, Holmes had not pitched since Tuesday, when he threw a nine-pitch save against the Athletics.

Then he needed just 10 pitches to buzz through the bottom of the ninth against the Brewers.

“[Pitch count] matters some,” Boone said. “But wasn’t going to go two innings with my closer tonight when he’s been in essentially half our games. And especially some of the attrition we’ve had down there in our bullpen. I got to make sure we keep him in a great spot.”

The Yankees already have lost relievers Nick Burdi (right hip inflammation) and Jonathan Loaisiga (UCL surgery) to the injured list this season while Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) didn’t even make it out of spring training.

On Friday, during a stretch of 17 games in 17 days, starter Luis Gil lasted just five innings.

Boone then used Ron Marinaccio, Dennis Santana, Caleb Ferguson and Holmes to get through the ninth before calling on Tonkin to face the heart of the Brewers’ order (righties Willy Adames and Rhys Hoskins, switch-hitter Blake Perkins and righty Gary Sanchez).

Tonkin gave up a run in the 10th and one more in the 11th to end it.

Boone indicated that lefty Victor Gonzalez was the only other reliever he had available — meaning Luke Weaver, who threw 30 pitches on Wednesday, and Ian Hamilton, who threw an inning each on Monday and Wednesday, were down.

“[Gonzalez] was all I had left,” Boone said. “Tonkin is my length there. And for that righty lane to start the 10th, wanted Tonkin.”