Nationals spoil Everson Pereira’s debut as Yankees lose 9th straight

All eyes were on Everson Pereira on Tuesday, but another 22-year-old spoiled the outfielder’s major league debut.

With the game knotted at one in the eighth, the Nationals’ CJ Abrams lined a Tommy Kahnle changeup off the right field foul pole. The home run paved the way for a 2-1 Washington win — and the Yankees’ ninth straight loss.

The Yankees had hoped that the promotions of Pereira and Oswald Peraza, 23, would inject some life into the team, but that didn’t come to fruition in the series-opener. The two youngsters went 0-for-7 on the night. Pereira drew a walk while his more-seasoned peers accumulated just two hits.

While the spotlight shined on Pereira, it was Ben Rortvedt who got the Yankees on the board with a solo home run in the third inning. The shot, the catcher’s first in pinstripes, provided an answer to Carter Kieboom’s own solo shot off Carlos Rodón in the top of the frame.

Rodón, fresh off the injured list following a hamstring strain, completed six innings for the first time as a Yankee. He totaled six hits, one earned run, zero walks, one strikeout and 68 pitches.

While the line resulted in one of Rodón’s best with the Yankees, the southpaw had some help from his defense and the Nationals, who ran into three outs on the bases. Washington recorded nine hard-hit balls off of Rodón, who now has a 6.27 ERA after seven starts with the Yankees.

Meanwhile, New Rochelle native Josiah Gray shined in his first start at Yankee Stadium. The childhood Yankees fan and Nationals starter allowed just one hit, Rortvedt’s homer, over six innings.

While Gray walked five, he struck out four and hung around for 101 pitches. The Yankees had seven hard-hit balls off the righty, but little to show for it.

Tuesday was the third time the offensively-starved Bombers have been two-hit or worse in their last six games.

The freefalling Yankees entered Tuesday’s contest 9.5 games out of the final wild card spot, which the Mariners occupied. The Blue Jays (1 GB), Red Sox (4 GB) and Angels (9 GB) all led the Yankees in what has become a long-shot race for New York.

The Yankees, now five games under .500, will look for their first win in over a week on Wednesday. MacKenzie Gore will pitch for Washington, while Luis Severino will start for the Yankees.

Severino has a 7.98 ERA this season.

The Yankees have not announced their Wednesday starter yet, but Patrick Corbin is lined up for the Nationals.