NEW YORK -- After a week of frustrating losses, including two walk-off defeats in New York, the Tampa Bay Rays busted out their celebratory cymbals and blasted the dance music throughout the clubhouse.

And even right field Steven Souza could joke about the condition of his right pinkie finger.

The Rays had a lot to enjoy Sunday after snapping a season-high seven-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the New York Yankees.

"It's very nice," Rays catcher Curt Casali said. "We do a lot of play of games just because as an offense we don't put up monster numbers. We got to scrap our way. I love it that way. It makes the game more interesting that's for sure. We live for this type of stuff. Today was one of those days -- not that you take your foot off the pedal ever -- but you can kind of relax just a second and say 'ok we got this'.

It was the first time that Tampa Bay scored more than seven runs since May 31 and the most lopsided win since beating Minnesota by eight runs on May 17. It also was their ninth win that was decided by more than three runs.

"We've won a lot of games but we seem to play a lot of close games," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. "Tonight was nice."

About the only thing that the Rays could be concerned about was Souza's hand. He was hit there during the eighth, had three stitches and said he was seeing a hand specialist in Kansas City but the injury didn't appear significant.

"It makes it feel a little better," Souza said. "I'll take some more lacerations if we can get some more wins if that's what it takes."

Tampa Bay's first win since June 27 began on the mound as Erasmo Ramirez and two relievers combined on a three-hitter. Ramirez went the first six innings and allowed designated hitter Alex Rodriguez's solo home run in the sixth among three hits while also making a slight mechanical adjustment.

"Erasmo was awesome today," Casali said. "As soon as he figured that out it was smooth sailing."

Ramirez improved to 7-2 in his last 10 starts by holding the Yankees hitless in six at-bats with a runner on base, getting a key double play to end the fourth and two strikeouts on center fielder Brett Gardner and third baseman Chase Headley that prevented him from facing the middle of New York's lineup with runners on in the fifth.

Those weren't even the biggest outs for the Rays, who lost the first two games on a 12th-inning home run by catcher Brian McCann and fielding error by Brad Boxberger on a bunt in the ninth. That distinction belonged to left-hander Xavier Cedeno, who put two on the seventh but got an inning-ending double play on Headley, who represented the tying run at the time.

"That was huge," Casali said. "We were going to throw him backdoor cutters and try to get him underneath his barrel. He just did that and it worked out. It's awesome when you up with a plan and you execute a plan and it works out. That was a big, big out for us."

That out was more significant since Cash would have likely used Brandon Gomes for a third straight day as well as left-hander Jake McGee. Those moves were not needed when the Rays scored four times in the eighth, capitalizing on two errors by second baseman Jose Pirela on the same play.

"It's like a double win because they were running on fumes," Cash said.

Tampa Bay held a 3-1 lead through two innings on a two-run single by first baseman James Loney in the first and a sacrifice fly by Casali in the second. The Rays added a fourth run when Casali scored from second on a throwing error by New York right-hander Ivan Nova on a bunt in the fifth.

After Cedeno recorded the big out, Pirela bobbled a ground ball by Loney and made a wild throw past first base that went down the steps of New York's dugout.

Two pitches after the errors, second baseman Logan Forsythe blooped a single off Bryan Mitchell that stayed just fair and that allowed Longoria and Loney to score. Tampa Bay added two more runs off left-hander Chris Capuano on a bases-loaded walk by Casali and a sacrifice fly by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.

While the Rays played one of their more complete games, the Yankees increased their error total to 57 and were held to one run for the fourth time in the last seven games.

"It cost us probably, five or six runs today and it's a much different game," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "It's unfortunate but we had a bad day and you have to turn the page."

In his third start off the disabled list, Nova allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in five innings.

"The stuff was not there (like) the last two games," Nova said. "There's not much to get. I fell behind almost every hitter. I think I got lucky that I only gave four runs,"

NOTES: New York LHP Andrew Miller (forearm) will pitch an inning in a rehab appearance Monday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after throwing a bullpen session Saturday. ... Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said 1B/OF/DH John Jaso (left wrist contusion), who is making his first rehab appearance for Triple-A Durham may return during the series at Kansas City. ... Yankees CF Jacoby Ellsbury (right knee) went 1-for-4 and played seven innings in the field in a rehab game for Class A Tampa. ... Asked about RHP Chris Archer's candidacy for the All-Star game, Cash said it's a "no brainer."