Yankees’ losing streak extends to eight games for the first time in 28 years following overturned call in crushing 6-5 defeat against rival Red Sox

The Yankees extended a losing streak to eight for the first time in 28 years, largely due to a reversed call in the bottom of the eight inning that later became the center of attention.

That reversed call eventually allowed Justin Turner’s ninth inning go-ahead double in a 6-5 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

“We have to be incredible the rest of the way,” manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees fell to 60-64 and trailed Seattle nine games for the AL’s final wild card spot.

New York appeared to break a 5-5 tie in the eighth when Isiah Kiner-Falefa scored from first base on rookie Anthony Volpe’s single.

Home plate umpire Junior Valentine signaled safe, reigning Kiner-Falefa’s left foot came in front of Connor Wong’s tag, but the call was reversed in a video review, which also confirmed that the catcher did not block the plate in violation of the rules.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (12) was initially called safely on a scoring play before the call was reversed

“I got the starting board, went in there,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I didn’t feel like I had a job. I think the rule is if you’re a catcher and you’re over the foul line, it’s considered blocking the sack there. The ball beat me, but I didn’t feel they had enough to knock him over.”

Kiner-Falefa took off from the first right before Volpe made contact. He raced home after left fielder Rob Refsnyder slipped before making the throw to shortstop Trevor Story.

“From the start I thought he was out,” said Boston manager Alex Cora, who had been ejected two innings earlier for arguing over a whistled third at bat and watched the key play from the clubhouse.

“I wondered why Junior waited. He waited, waited to get him to safety and I was like what is he doing.’

Winning in consecutive series by Atlanta and Boston, the Yankees have lost eight in a row for the first time since August 19-26, 1995, when Buck Showalter’s final team fell to 53-58 before finishing 26-7 to win a get wildcard spot ,

New York, in danger of ending its streak of 30 consecutive winning seasons, is 24-39 since June 4 — the day after slugger Aaron Judge tore a ligament in his right big toe at Dodger Stadium.

“Any loss right now is tough,” Volpe said.

Turner had four RBI’s for Boston, which is 8-1 this year against the Yankees, and has won seven in a row against New York.

Kiner-Falefa took off from the first right before teammate Anthony Volpe made contact

“They just got the better of us,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I feel like they swing the bats well. They have a good pitching game plan. They’re just better than us now.’

With the score tied at 5-5, Pablo Reyes singled off Clay Holmes (4-4) en route to ninth and stole second, and Alex Verdugo walked. Turner doubled to the right-field warning track on a sinker.

“He’s a good hitter,” Cora said. “He’s a great leader and I’m glad he’s playing for us.”

It was Turner’s first hit this season that gave the Red Sox a lead in the ninth or later and the 16th of his career.

Turner bats .372 with runners in scoring position in his first year with Boston after a decade with the Dodgers and bats .395 against the Yankees.

“That head gives a real playoff feel, especially in those last three innings, the back and forth and the fans loved it,” Turner said. “It was good to get that win.

The Red Sox won a series in the Bronx for the second time in three seasons. Boston won for the eighth time in 11 games, trailing Seattle by three games.

Chris Martin (4-1) gave up two hits in a scoreless eighth, and Kenley Jansen got his 29th save in 32 chances. Greg Allen doubled to start the ninth inning and DJ LeMahieu was hit by a pitch, but Jansen struckout Judge and Torres, then Ben Rortvedt flied out.

Aaron Judge (center) argues with home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth (right)

“For ten years I’ve watched Mr. Clutch do his thing,” said Jansen, Turner’s old Dodger teammate.

Rafael Devers homered off Clarke Schmidt in the first inning and scored on Volpe’s throwing error, but Kyle Higashioka and Gleyber Torres hit tying home runs in the third and sixth inning off Nick Pivetta. New York was defeated 17-0 in the first two innings over the past five games.

Turner hit a three-run homer in the seventh off Michael King, one pitch after Devers was walked intentionally. Volpe tied the score in the bottom half with his 17th homer, a three-run drive against John Schreiber.

Torres and Volpe reached 50 RBIs; before Sunday, the Yankees were the only big league team with no one reaching 50.