Yankees play better but lose to Rays anyway

Aaron Boone didn’t have the magic words. Despite an angry meeting with the team after Friday night’s embarrassing loss to the Rays — a meeting in which players characterized their even-keeled manager as "very upset'' — the Yankees played a tighter game but didn't fare any better Saturday afternoon in a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Their fourth straight loss dropped them to 5-9, the worst record in the American League. They have lost 14 of their last 17 regular-season games against the Rays.