ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In a season in which consistency has been difficult to capture, give the Yankees this: they have become adept at finding many different ways to lose.

Ten outs away from winning their first series in over a month, the Yankees gave up a two-run lead on Sunday afternoon and instead reverted to their losing ways.

An erratic Ian Hamilton blew the lead in the sixth inning as the Yankees dropped yet another series with a 7-4 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field.

Losers of 12 of their last 14 games, the Yankees (62-68) are now 1-12-3 in their past 16 series, going 17-32 during that stretch with their season crashing and burning in the process. They have also lost eight straight rubber games, but their problems extend beyond just that.

“We haven’t been very good,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Everything’s been a challenge, not the rubber game. Gotta play better.”

The benches also cleared twice in the eighth inning after Albert Abreu plunked Randy Arozarena — the fourth Tampa Bay batter to be hit by a Yankees pitcher on Sunday, with two of them coming from Hamilton, including one during his sixth-inning meltdown.

“I understand [their anger], but at the same time, if they want to come over here, they can come over here,” said Hamilton, who also beaned Isaac Paredes with a 95 mph sinker in the fifth inning. “I wish we had another game against them.”

Instead, the Rays (80-52) finished the season series with an 8-5 advantage over the Yankees, winning three series and splitting the other.

On a day when the Yankees hit three home runs to take a 4-2 lead into the sixth inning, they still were not able to finish off what would have been just their second series win since late June.

Since the Yankees last won a series — a sweep of the Royals on July 21-23 — they have a minus-38 run differential while scoring the fewest runs in the American League (108).

On Sunday, it was their bullpen that cost them, though the final 16 Yankees batters were also retired in order.

Hamilton got the first two outs of the sixth inning before giving up a single to No. 8 hitter Christian Bethancourt.

He then hit Jonathan Aranda with a 1-2 pitch before Arozarena chopped an infield single to load the bases.

Harold Ramirez came up next and blooped a two-run, game-tying single just beyond the reach of Gleyber Torres.

The second baseman had initially backpedaled into shallow right field before turning and unsuccessfully reaching for the ball.

“I think he probably thought he had a beat on it more,” Boone said. “It’s one of those if he opens up right away and runs to it, he’s probably got a better chance at it.”

Brandon Lowe then roped a two-run single off Wandy Peralta to put the Rays ahead 6-4.

Emotions later boiled over in the eighth inning, when Abreu nailed Arozarena in the ribs with a 96 mph sinker.

Arozarena, who was also hit by Abreu during the teams’ series here in May, was angry and exchanged words with the Yankees reliever, who insisted he was not trying to hit him.

The benches eventually cleared with little more than both Abreu and Arozarena being held back by their teammates.

But after Arozarena went on to steal a pair of bases, he and Abreu exchanged words again, with Abreu walking over toward third base and the benches emptying a second time.

“It felt like he was trying to make fun of the situation or the fact that he stole two bases — I don’t know,” Abreu said through an interpreter.

Arozarena had previously run wild in the first inning on a circus play by the Yankees. After he singled off Carlos Rodon, Arozarena stole second, took third when Kyle Higashioka’s throw sailed into center field and then raced home when Harrison Bader’s throw skipped past third baseman Oswald Peraza and Rodon.

Rodon later escaped the inning with only a 2-0 deficit before settling in and getting a lead on homers from Higashioka, DJ LeMahieu and Anthony Volpe.

But the Yankees wasted the show of power — their fourth loss in their last five games when they have hit three home runs or more — as their season continued to sink.