Albert Abreu can’t hold lead as struggling Yankees lose series to Mariners

SEATTLE — Manager Aaron Boone called what the Yankees have been going through over the last week “a rough patch.”

It’s starting to feel like more than that, especially after another series loss, which ended with a 4-3 loss to the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon.

The Yankees got another good start from Nestor Cortes, and after the offense was held scoreless for a season-long 19 ¹/₃ innings over the past two games, they finally woke up with three runs in the seventh inning, thanks to homers by Kyle Higashioka and Aaron Judge, to take a 3-1 lead.

But when Cortes was pulled in the bottom of the inning after allowing back-to-back singles, the Yankees made the curious decision to bring in the struggling Albert Abreu, who had pitched poorly in three consecutive appearances.

Abreu faltered again, giving up a go-ahead two-run homer to Carlos Santana, as the Yankees lost for the sixth time in seven games.

That came after another entertaining pitchers’ duel. Cortes and Robbie Ray were dominant early, much as Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo had been Tuesday.

Albert Abreu watches Carlos Santana round the bases after allowing a two-run homer on Wednesday. AP

The Yankees got a pair of two-out singles in the second inning from Aaron Hicks and Miguel Andujar before Isiah Kiner-Falefa popped out.

Ray walked DJ LeMahieu and Judge with two outs in the fifth, but Anthony Rizzo — in his first game since sitting out five straight with lower back tightness — struck out.

Cortes allowed a leadoff walk to Eugenio Suarez in the second, but was otherwise perfect through five no-hit innings.

Aaron Judge watches Carlos Santana’s home run. AP

That changed with one out in the sixth, when Sam Haggerty — a thorn in the Yankees’ side all series — drilled a solo home run down the left field line for Seattle’s first hit and the game’s first run.

Ray kept the Yankees quiet until the seventh, pitching around a pair of two-out walks in the fifth.

But with one out in the seventh and Kiner-Falefa on via a walk, Higashioka drilled a 3-2 pitch out to left-center for a two-run homer that gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead and ended their season-long scoreless streak.

It was Higashioka’s second homer in three games and knocked Ray out of the game after a season-high 115 pitches.

Judge then hit his MLB-leading 45th homer of the year to make it 3-1.

Seattle rallied in the bottom of the inning. Ty France led off with a single, reached second on a passed ball by Higashioka and scored on Mitch Haniger’s single that cut the lead to 3-2 and ended Cortes’ outing.

Abreu, on the team mostly because he’s out of minor league options, struggled for a fourth straight outing.

He gave up a go-ahead, two-run homer to Santana and then made an errant throw to second when Dylan Moore, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, took off for the base, allowing him to steal.

Aaron Judge belted another home run in the Yankees’ loss. Getty Images

The offense didn’t score again after the seventh, with Diego Castillo pitching a scoreless eighth for Seattle and Paul Sewald closing it in the ninth.

“We continue to play a bunch of tight ball games,’’ Boone said before the game. “Unfortunately, this past week, we’ve been on the short side of [them].”