Yankees' losing streak hits nine, longest since 1982 - ESPN

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees extended a losing streak to nine for the first time in 41 years when Tommy Kahnle allowed a go-ahead homer to CJ Abrams with two outs in the eighth inning in a 2-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Winless since beating the Marlins on Aug. 11 in Miami, the Yankees are on their first nine-game skid since Sept. 13-21, 1982 — the final month of a 79-win season when they employed three managers (Bob Lemon, Gene Michael and Clyde King). New York has been outscored 53-20 and has not held a lead since the second inning of its 11-3 loss in Atlanta on Aug. 14.

«Pretty down but we've got to fight through it,» Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. «I think we're doing and saying the right things but we're in it to win it. At the end of the day you work hard to put yourself in a position to shake hands at the end of the day. When you get beat over and over again and you're in the middle of a tough season, it makes it hard.»

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, New York's last 10-game losing streak was May 21-June 6, 1913, when the team was in the first year of being known as the Yankees and shared the Polo Grounds with the Giants.

«Sometimes, you just have some tough luck out there,» Boone said. «But still, I thought we had some pitches and some chances to do some stuff with it tonight, and just couldn't take advantage.»

Abrams snapped a 1-1 tie by hitting a first-pitch changeup from Kahnle (1-2) off the right field foul pole. It was the speedy shortstop's 13th homer, sixth to give Washington the lead this year and third in the seventh or later.

«I'm not trying to hit home runs but they just happen at the right time, I guess,» Abrams said.

Carter Kieboom homered in the third on the