Manager Aaron Boone continues to struggle in his attempts to explain the free fall that the New York Yankees are going through the second-half of the season.

But he hopes New York's 9-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays Friday night at Tropicana Field was a wake-up call. 

"That's an embarrassing loss," said the usually mild-mannered Boone. "Hopefully, one of those rock-bottom situations, where you should be pissed off and embarrassed. We've set a better standard around here. We just got to be better. Period."