Yankees continue to stumble against the Rays, lose 6-3 at the Stadium

It took seven innings for the Yankees to get the message.

Twelve hours after getting chewed out by Aaron Boone — and the fans — the Bombers finally showed signs of life late in their Saturday matinee against the Rays. But it was too late to save the Yankees on this day.

The Bombers lost 6-3 — a second straight loss to their division rivals at Yankee Stadium — to sink further into the AL East basement at 5-9.

Even though there was more offensive power from the Yankees than there was on Friday, it was still a far cry from the muscle that is on this Bombers roster. The Yankees continued to struggle getting the big hit and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.

DJ LeMahieu got the Yankees on the board in the second with a single that scored Gary Sanchez, who reached on a walk. They remained lifeless until the seventh when Rougned Odor hit a solo shot over the right center field wall and Aaron Judge smacked a double into a gap in center field to score LeMahieu two at-bats later.

But those were all the runs they could muster.

The most notable difference from Friday night’s debacle was in the Yankees’ defense. It was a complete 180 from the night before. There was no slipping and sliding and no errors. Odor and Gio Urshela, who were responsible for a combined three errors on Friday, had a clean game defensively on Saturday. Urshela in particular made a great play as he made a nice diving catch at third to keep the Rays’ Joey Wendle off base in the fifth inning.

He wasn’t able to perform the same superman-esq layout when the opportunity came his way again in the ninth and allowed Rays second baseman Mike Brosseau to score on a double by Francisco Mejia.

Southpaw Jordan Montgomery tried to set the tone early for the Yankees.

Montgomery, in his third start of the season and second consecutive against the Rays — and with slightly more control over his pitches than his last time around the Rays batting order — managed six innings, pitching three easy 1-2-3 innings with assistance from clutch plays by Urshela and catcher Kyle Higashioka, who caught a Randy Arozarena bunt in foul territory.

He didn’t clip any batters this time, but was, however, stung by the long ball twice: the first a solo shot by Mejia and the second a two-run shot by Manuel Margot.

Montgomery was pulled for right-handed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga after giving up three earned runs on two hits, two walks and seven strikeouts over 84 pitches. Loaisiga got the Yanks through two innings (giving up a homer in the seventh that killed the Yankees momentum) before being replaced by lefty Justin Wilson to close up shop.