ST. PETERSBURG -- Before putting on their white uniforms and gathering in the infield for their annual team photo on Wednesday afternoon, a handful of Rays sat on the couches inside the home clubhouse at Tropicana Field, keeping an eye on the early innings of the Yankees’ game against the Twins.

The Rays don’t have to sit around watching any scoreboards, starter Drew Rasmussen will occasionally remind his teammates, except for their own.

“I keep telling our guys: So long as we take care of business, it doesn’t matter,” Rasmussen said. “ ... All we can do is play who’s on our schedule here tonight, and if we win tonight, it doesn’t matter what they did.”

Of course, the Rays aren’t going to complain when both outcomes break their way like they did on Wednesday. The Yankees lost a 13-inning affair to the Twins, 5-4, about an hour before the Rays hung on to beat the A’s, 4-3, at Tropicana Field.

The win improved Tampa Bay’s record to 92-59 and increased the club’s lead in the American League East race to 4 1/2 games with 11 to play.  

With the Yankees off on Thursday, the Rays’ lead could be as high as five games if they win their series finale against the A’s. Even if they don’t complete their MLB-leading 16th sweep, they will still hold a four-game lead over the Yankees as they prepare to host a weekend series against the Red Sox at the Trop.

The Rays jumped out to an early four-run lead behind starter Nick Martinez, but Wednesday’s victory didn’t necessarily come easily.

Junior Caminero, Jonny DeLuca and Chandler Simpson strung together three straight two-out doubles in the first inning to put up two runs, then Nick Fortes and Ryan Vilade delivered run-scoring hits in the second inning to make it a 4-0 game.

Martinez surrendered a pair of solo shots to Tommy White and Henry Bolte in the third inning, cutting Tampa Bay’s lead in half, then curiously exited after throwing only 72 pitches in five innings.

Fortunately for the Rays, two of their most trusted high-leverage relievers kept the lead intact leading up to the ninth inning.

Right-hander Kevin Kelly gave up a run before recording an out, then struck out the side in the sixth and breezed through the seventh, and lefty Cam Booser continued his incredible season with a clean eighth.

Rather than turning to closer Bryan Baker in the ninth, the Rays asked right-hander Cole Sulser to shut the door. And Sulser delivered, picking up his third save of the season.