A 2-1 loss to visiting Kansas City on Tuesday night prevented the Rays from equaling their all-time win streak of 12, set by Lou Piniella’s 2004 squad.

However, the setback, in which 41-year-old lefty Rich Hill struck out a career high 13, does not lessen what has taken place over the past couple of weeks.

A 14-8 win over the Blue Jays on Monday afternoon marked the third time during what was an 11-game win streak that the Rays had to overcome an early deficit of at least five runs.

Overcoming such deficits earlier in the season was unthinkable given the team’s struggles at the plate.

Now, though, the feeling in the Tampa Bay clubhouse is that the team can win regardless of what in-game challenges it may face.

“It’s a keep competing mentality,” said Joey Wendle, who is hitting .392 with all six of his home runs on the road, following Monday’s game. “On a bigger scale, looking at our season as a whole, we didn’t really start out playing hot. Now, through this streak, we are winning games pretty much every way you possibly can.”

During the streak, which put the Rays in sole possession of first place in an American League East that is very tight at the top, they outscored the opposition 95-43 and scored at least nine runs seven times.

Patience at the plate is a huge reason for such lofty run production and perhaps the best example of this took place in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game against Toronto.

The Rays entered the inning down 4-2. With one out, a run in and the bases loaded, Austin Meadows fouled off three straight Travis Bergen full-count offerings and drew a nine-pitch walk to force in the tying run. It was the first of three straight bases loaded walks in a 6-4 win.

It is such at-bats that have been helping drive the offense. Plenty of walks have been mixed in with key hits during decisive innings.

“Regardless if we are (trailing) or not, we know, with the roll that we have been, something is going to happen,” said Meadows. “We work quality at-bats and with the roll we have been on lately, the pressure is not on us, but the pitcher. Just continue to work the at-bats and see what happens.”

The Rays entered Tuesday’s game against the Royals third in the American League in average runs per game at 5.1 and fifth in home runs with 62. While they are known more for their pitching and defense, everybody has been chipping in at the plate.

Mike Zunino has been helping the Rays’ cause on the scoreboard of late. Though maintaining his high-level of defense and outstanding work with the pitching staff, offense has not come easy for the 30-year-old catcher during his time with the Rays. In each of his first two seasons with Tampa Bay his OPS was below .600.

However, a productive month of May that has included six home runs and 11 RBIs in his last 13 games — giving him 11 homers and an .869 OPS on the season — has provided a major boost to the lineup.

“He was frustrated by his performance at the plate, but never had it take away from what we would say he is special at, and that’s his defensive play,” said Cash, whose team is second in the American League in fielding percentage. “Working with pitchers, framing, receiving, blocking (bad pitches), throwing, all those things. It never took away from how much he was helping us win on a nightly basis. We are feeling real good with how well he is contributing on both sides.”

As far as the pitching is concerned, the control exhibited throughout the staff has been noteworthy. During a recent three-game sweep of the Mets the staff yielded a total of four walks. In Monday’s win in Dunedin, five pitchers combined to not issue a single free pass in 11 innings.

Cash credits pitching coach Kyle Snyder and bullpen coach Stan Boroski for the staff’s collective control. He also praised a bullpen that has become overly relied upon with extra inning games and what has been precious little breathing room in the schedule.

In fact, the bullpen, which added J.P. Feyereisen in the May 21 deal that sent shortstop Willy Adames to Milwaukee, had a 2.45 ERA in a 29-game stretch heading into this week. Led by Diego Castillo’s eight, six relievers have recorded at least one save, including the departed Hunter Strickland, who was dealt to the Angels on May 15.

“At the end of the day, that's what makes us special,” said Cash. “We have a bullpen that is very talented, very versatile and equipped to do different things that complement each other really well.”

All three phases, pitching, hitting and defense, are complementing each other during the win streak. It is a streak that has seen the Rays sweep a multi-series road trip (three games at Baltimore and four in Dunedin) for only the second time in club history.

“It’s a culmination of all facets of our club,” said Cash. “When you get on streaks like this, things have to be going your way. We will try to continue that and take advantage of every opportunity we get.”