ST. PETERSBURG — The Tampa Bay Rays became the first American League team to reach 60 wins this season, routing the Cleveland Guardians 11-3 at Tropicana Field on a night when the bottom of the lineup delivered a performance manager Kevin Cash called one of the best he could ask for.

Ryan Vilade, making his first Major League start at second base, set the tone in the second inning by jumping on a first-pitch changeup from Cleveland starter Joey Cantillo and driving it over the left-field wall for a two-run homer — his eighth of the season and his fifth on the first pitch of an at-bat. Vilade didn’t realize the ball had cleared the fence, sliding headfirst into third base before hearing the home run horn. “I was like, ‘All right, well, we’re just gonna keep going,’” Vilade said. “Then I slid, and I heard the horn go off. I was like, ‘Homer?’ Then I got fired up.”

“A lot to like offensively, obviously,” Cash said. “Look, the middle part to the back half really did maybe as impressive a job as we could ask for.”

The production ran deep through the lineup. Richie Palacios, who replaced Vilade at second in the seventh inning, launched a three-run homer in the eighth — marking the eighth time in franchise history, and the second time this season, that a Rays hitter homered from the same spot in the order as a player who went deep earlier in the same game. Catcher Nick Fortes collected a career-high-tying four hits with a pair of RBIs. Jonny DeLuca added two hits, including an RBI single after Cedric Mullins’ leadoff triple from the cleanup spot sparked a three-run fourth inning. Chandler Simpson picked up two hits, including a hustle double, from the six-hole.

“You’ve just got to stay aggressive and be ready to hit, because it might be your best one [that] you get that at-bat,” Vilade said. “I don’t really know if there’s anything to it, but it’s just kind of worked out like that.”

Ben Williamson, starting at shortstop and batting eighth while Taylor Walls rested sore fingers on his left hand, drove in a run and made a spectacular diving play up the middle in the seventh. “How lucky are we to have a guy that can fill in behind what I would say is the best defensive shortstop in baseball to come in and make plays like that?” Cash said. “Our pitchers really appreciate it.” Right-hander Chris Roycroft earned his first save by pitching the final three innings, with Williamson pulling off another impressive snag to end the game behind him.

Fortes credited consistent pregame work with assistant hitting coach Ozzie Timmons for his recent surge. “Everyone’s just trying to do their job, not trying to be anybody that they’re not. Just sticking with their own plan and doing what they’re good at,” Fortes said. “You’re going to go through your lulls, your ups and downs, but for the bottom of the order to be able to start picking up the slack a little bit, it feels good to be able to contribute like we have been.”

The victory improved Tampa Bay’s MLB-best home record to 36-15 as the Rays continue their series against Cleveland at Tropicana Field.