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NEW YORK — An overturned call at the plate in the eighth inning led to the latest loss in what has become the New York Yankees‘ worst season in decades.

The Yankees extended a losing streak to eight for the first time in 28 years, allowing Justin Turner‘s ninth-inning go-ahead double in a 6-5 defeat to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

“We got to be unbelievable the rest of the way,” manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees dropped to 60-64 and fell nine games behind Seattle for the AL’s last wild card spot.

“We’re really scuffling.”

New York appeared to break a 5-5 tie in the eighth when Isiah Kiner-Falefa scored from first on rookie Anthony Volpe‘s single. Plate umpire Junior Valentine signaled safe, ruling Kiner-Falefa’s left foot got in ahead of Connor Wong‘s tag, but the call was reversed in a video review, which also upheld the catcher did not block the plate in violation of rules.

“I got the go sign, went in there,” Kiner-Falefa said. “I didn’t feel like I had a lane. I think the rule is if you’re catcher and you’ve over the foul line it’s considered blocking the bag right there. The ball did beat me but I didn’t feel like they had enough to overturn it.”

Kiner-Falefa took off from 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 get-go I thought he was out,” said Boston manager Alex Cora, who had been ejected two inning earlier for arguing a called third strike and watched the key play from the clubhouse. “I was wondering why Junior was waiting. He waited, waited to call him safe and I was like what is he doing.”

Swept in consecutive series by Atlanta and Boston, the Yankees have lost eight straight for the first time since Aug. 19-26, 1995, when Buck Showalter’s final team fell to 53-58 before finishing 26-7 to landing a wild-card spot. A year later, the Yankees won the World Series.

But those days seem long ago in The Bronx, especially after the season’s second sweep at the hand of the rival Red Sox.

“You always have a chance, but we’re in a big hole now,” Boone said. “But you can’t even get big-picture about it. You’ve just got tackle the next day. That’s what we’re in right now.”

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.

“Every loss at this point is tough,” Volpe said.

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

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

With the score 5-5, Pablo Reyes singled off Clay Holmes (4-4) leading off the 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 a 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 is hitting .372 with runners in scoring position in his first year with Boston following a decade with the Dodgers and is batting .395 against the Yankees.

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

The Red Sox swept a series in The Bronx for the second time in three seasons. Boston won for the eighth time in 11 games and remained three games behind Seattle.

Chris Martin (4-1) allowed two hits in a scoreless eighth, and Kenley Jansen got his 29th save in 32 chances. Greg Allen doubled leading off the ninth and DJ LeMahieu was hit by a pitch, but Jansen struck out Judge and Torres, then retired Ben Rortvedt on a flyout.

“For a decade long, I’ve seen Mr. Clutch do his thing,” said Jansen, Turner’s longtime Dodger teammate.

Rafael Devers homered in the first off Clarke Schmidt and scored on Volpe’s throwing error, but Kyle Higashioka and Gleyber Torres hit tying homers in the third and sixth off Nick Pivetta.

New York has been outscored 17-0 in the first two innings over its past five games.

“We’ve got to get a win,” Boone said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

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Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.

Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.

Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.

The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.

Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

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Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

Jake Allen, one of the top goaltenders available entering free agency, is not heading to the market after agreeing to a five-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Allen’s average annual value on the deal is $1.8 million, sources told ESPN. That AAV allows the Devils to run back the same goaltending tandem for next season.

Jacob Markstrom has one year remaining on his contract for $4.125 million. Nico Daws is also under contract for next season, before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

Several teams were interested in the 34-year-old veteran, whom sources said could have made more money on the open market. However, the deal with the Devils gives Allen long-term security. Allen has played for the Blues, Canadiens and Devils over his 12-year-career. He has started in 436 career games.

Last season, Allen started 29 games for the Devils, going 13-16-1 with a .906 save percentage, 2.66 GAA and four shutouts.

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, $42M extension

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Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, M extension

Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.

Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.

He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.

Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.

It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.

That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.

But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

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