NEW YORK -- Somewhere between the clubhouse and the delivery room, Josh Donaldson decided his paternity leave could be a blessing in more ways than one. Exhilarated by the whirlwind of welcoming a daughter, the Yankees infielder resolved to bring that energy between the white lines upon his return.

Donaldson flexed his "dad strength" as the Bombers came out of the gates swinging on Saturday, flipping his bat to celebrate one of the club’s seven consecutive first-inning singles, then belting a second-inning homer. New York’s 10-3 rout of the Rays restored its lead in the American League East to 4 1/2 games.

“Being at home, being around my family and going through that experience, it was pretty special,” Donaldson said. “It just really put things in perspective, having that joy to come out here and play this game that I love to play.”

With the victory, the Yankees clinched their season series against the Rays, earning a potential tiebreaker they hope will prove unnecessary. New York sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning, dispatching Corey Kluber to an early exit.

“Awesome; just great at-bats from everyone, moving the line,” said manager Aaron Boone. “It was a collection of really good at-bats, and good two-strike at-bats. Certainly, it put us in a great spot.”

Aaron Judge had three hits in the contest to raise his batting average to .307; two hits went into the ledger before the Yanks’ first turn at bat ended. Judge has reached base at least three times in seven consecutive games, the longest such streak by a Yankee since Mickey Mantle from June 10-16, 1957.

“He’s so locked in and not giving anything away,” Boone said.

It was a much-needed laugher for the Yankees, who have won five of seven despite absorbing a rough loss in Friday’s series opener, in which they heard choruses of boos -- most of them directed at embattled outfielder Aaron Hicks -- and spoiled the otherwise-memorable Derek Jeter Night festivities.

Gleyber Torres, Oswaldo Cabrera, Miguel Andújar, Kyle Higashioka and Judge drove in first-inning runs as the Yanks became the first club to open a game with seven consecutive singles since the Royals did so on April 22, 1988, against Baltimore, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“It was fun to get those first few punches in and stay on top,” said Giancarlo Stanton, who added an eighth-inning homer off position player Christian Bethancourt, his 25th of the year and first since returning from the injured list.

“'Klubot’ has definitely been on his game this year when he’s faced the Yankees,” Donaldson said. “Today, we wanted to dictate the at-bats. I felt like we did that.”

Insulated by the massive early cushion, right-hander Jameson Taillon turned in one of his best starts of the season, holding the Rays to a run through the first seven frames before Tampa Bay added a pair to a lopsided score in the eighth.

Scattering six hits while walking one and striking out eight, Taillon registered his team-leading 13th victory of the year, departing to a rousing ovation. The Yanks have won 21 of Taillon’s 28 starts, equaling Justin Verlander and Drew Rasmussen (.750) for the highest win percentage in starts among AL pitchers this year.

“It gave me chills, walking off,” Taillon said, referring to the ovation. “This was a big game against a team that’s hot on our trail. I knew we needed a big game.”

Taillon said he noticed some extra chatter in the dugout during Saturday’s game, which he attributed to Donaldson’s return.

“We definitely missed it a little bit,” Taillon said. “He can definitely bring some edge for us.”

Though Donaldson said he was “surprised” his first-inning drive off Kluber did not make it to the seats, instead hitting the top of the right-field wall and bouncing back into play, he atoned with a solo homer in the second inning off J.T. Chargois.

Donaldson then spent much of the afternoon yukking it up with his teammates, gesturing toward the Bombers’ bench after being clipped by a seventh-inning pitch, then diving awkwardly into home plate later that inning on a run-scoring Isiah Kiner-Falefa single.

“I just try to be myself,” Donaldson said. “That’s normally who I am. I felt like I’m just trying to bring that energy for our team, stay positive, stay in it. This is when baseball gets fun. You’ve got to enjoy it.”