Rays' offense continues to click during streak

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays cranked their bats into high gear over the weekend, scoring 21 runs on 35 hits in three games against the visiting Blue Jays.

Hitting is supposed to be contagious and given the Rays' weekend, that sentiment is hard to argue against.

"That's what they say, hitting's contagious," said Brandon Guyer, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in Sunday's 5-1 win over Toronto. "I mean the game's so weird. You hit the ball hard you don't get a hit. You don't hit it hard, sometimes you get a hit.

Video: TOR@TB: Guyer leads off 1st inning with a homer

"And I think the hits we're getting now, they're both hard and soft. It's kind of making up now for earlier in the season when we were hitting the ball and not getting any results. But I think it's definitely contagious and it's showed that the whole series."

On Sunday, the Rays smacked 13 hits to score five runs.

Guyer led off the game with his first home run of the season, making him the first Rays player to lead off the game with a home run since Desmond Jennings did it on June 28, 2014, at Baltimore.

"Just trying to get my pitch to hit and not miss it, which I have been doing all year," Guyer said. "So I was just glad I was able to capitalize and help the team out early."

Guyer added a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a two-run single in the sixth.

Video: TOR@TB: Guyer singles in a pair to extend the lead

"BG's been outstanding," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We pick his spots when he plays. Obviously, he's in there against lefties. He's in there against some righties. But he really does a nice job.

"It's amazing how many times his barrel finds the ball. Gets big hits, gets us going with the leadoff home run. And then probably the next big hit was to add on two more runs to make it 5-0."

Meanwhile, Evan Longoria's torrid bat picked up where it left off Saturday night when he went 4-for-4. On Sunday, he singled in his first three at-bats, giving him hits in seven consecutive at-bats to raise his average to .306. He finished his day by walking in his final trip to the plate. He has reached base in eight consecutive at-bats.

"Longo keeps up his pace," Cash said. "It's amazing a couple of hits and it seems like they all get going."

Cash was asked if he had any thoughts on how to keep the hitting going, a question that prompted a smile.

"I guess don't get in the way," Cash said. "They're swinging the bat well and we kind of thought, as a staff, once one guy did it and the next guy did it, it seems like all of a sudden, we're getting really quality at-bats out of everybody."