KANSAS CITY -- Despite losing seven of their last eight games and 15 of 25 heading into the All-Star break, the Rays never let their confidence waver. They took it for what it was -- a bad stretch -- but expected to bounce back after the welcomed and well-timed All-Star break.

So far, so good.

After having their start to the season’s unofficial second half delayed by Friday’s rainout, the Rays completed a doubleheader sweep Saturday night with a 4-2 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, their 60th victory of the season. In Game 1, Tampa Bay rode a strong start by Tyler Glasnow and two Jose Siri homers to a 6-1 win.

Saturday was the Rays’ first doubleheader sweep since July 2, 2022, and it restored their lead over the Orioles in the American League East to two games. It also restored some confidence in Tampa Bay’s lineup, which has scored 20 runs while winning the last three games after slumping toward the end of the first half.

“This group can hit, and they're not going to not hit for too long,” said manager Kevin Cash, who secured the 699th and 700th wins of his managerial career Saturday. “Good pitching [from Kansas City] -- when they execute pitches, you’ve got to tip your cap a little bit. But very encouraged that we found a way to win two games, because I do think it's very challenging to do in Major League Baseball.”

The Rays used their power and patience in Game 1, overcoming a 13-strikeout showing with a pair of homers from Siri and another from Francisco Mejía before tacking on three runs in the eighth after Royals reliever Collin Snider walked the bases loaded with 13 straight balls.

In the nightcap, Tampa Bay manufactured runs against a Kansas City club that fell to 26-67 on the season. There were too many strikeouts and some missed opportunities with runners in scoring position, but the result was reminiscent of the way the Rays so often found different ways to score during their hot start to the season.

“I think that that's great, and that's kind of how we expect the offense to run,” said Luke Raley, who hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning. “It's nice to come back from break and feel like we're kind of getting back into that.”

The Rays struck first, as Wander Franco doubled and scored on a single by Randy Arozarena in the third inning. The Royals pulled ahead with a run in the third and another in the fifth, but Tampa Bay’s depth showed up to retake the lead.

Manuel Margot led off the seventh inning with a single, then Cash sent pinch-hitter Josh Lowe to face reliever Jonathan Heasley. Cash was just expecting a good at-bat. Lowe was hoping to move Margot into scoring position. Instead, he blasted a 1-0 curveball into the right-center field gap for a game-tying RBI triple.

“The Royals pitched us tough all day it felt like, so we kind of had to hang in there and have some big at-bats -- timely hitting late in ballgames,” Cash said. “That's what we were able to do.”

The Rays also put together a well-pitched game of their own. Opener Shawn Armstrong delivered two scoreless innings and 27th man Cooper Criswell held the Royals to two runs over four efficient innings, then relievers Colin Poche, Kevin Kelly and Pete Fairbanks took it from there.

Meanwhile, Harold Ramírez helped the Rays create their final two runs with his hustle, heads-up baserunning and ability to make contact. And, as he tells it, by following instructions.

Ramírez led off the eighth with a single to left, then alertly tagged up to advance to second on Arozarena’s flyout to center field. Ramírez said first-base coach Chris Prieto told him to tag up, but he joked that he would have tried it even if Prieto had told him to stay put.

“No matter if he said no,” Ramírez said, “I was going to go.”

“It’s not an easy play,” Cash added. “You read the throw, how the ball is coming in, but he was very committed to get into scoring position right there.”

Sure enough, Ramírez scored the tiebreaking run on Raley’s two-out single to right. Then he helped pad their lead after Francisco Mejía singled and Brandon Lowe doubled -- both started Game 1 and began Game 2 on the bench -- to open the ninth inning.

With the bases loaded and one out, Ramírez said Cash told him, “Hey, put the ball in the air, no matter what happens.” The designated hitter responded that his manager didn’t need to worry, because he’d swing at the first pitch and get the job done.

True to his word, Ramírez swung at a first-pitch sweeper and hit it a Statcast-projected 321 feet for a sacrifice fly.

Always listen to your coaches, right?

“We have to follow,” Ramírez said, smiling.