“We play today. We win today. Das it,’’ was Duncan’s message.

Almost a quarter century later the Yankees’ motto should be “Gerrit Cole pitches today. We win today. Das it.’’

Saturday that happened even though Cole didn’t earn the win in an 8-4 victory over the Rays in the first of two seven-inning games at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.

One out away from qualifying for what would have been his 20th straight win, Cole was removed by Aaron Boone after giving up a two-run homer to Jose Martinez that cut the Yankees’ lead to 5-3 in the fifth. Cole needed a season-high 107 pitches to go 4 ²/₃ innings in which he gave up three runs, six hits and struck out 10. The Yankees are 4-0 in Cole’s four starts.

Chad Green followed Cole and put an end to the fifth-inning uprising by blowing away a looking Yoshi Tsutugo with a fastball. Green opened the sixth with a 7-3 cushion by issuing two walks and gave up a run without allowing a hit.

The Rays had used doubles by Mike Zunino and Ji-Man Choi in the fifth against Cole to reduce the Yankees’ lead to 5-1 and Martinez’ homer cut it to 5-3.

After being blanked 1-0 on Friday night and not having scored a run in 11 innings, the Yankees tagged right-hander Tyler Glasnow for four runs in the third frame Saturday. Hitting between Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and playing first base, Mike Ford scorched a two-run homer and Gio Urshela added a two-run double. Stanton, who started the day in a 2-for-21 slide, homered off left-hander Sean Gilmartin leading off the fifth after singling in the second and walking in the third. Judge answered the Rays’ three runs in the fifth with a two-run homer in the sixth that upped the Yankees’ lead to 7-3. It was Judge’s eighth homer. Gio Urshela added three RBIs.

The victory stopped a two-game losing streak for the Yankees who improved to 10-4.

Glasnow featured a high-90s fastball in the first inning, worked out of trouble in the second and was gone before getting the third out in the third when the Yankees delivered a 4-0 lead to Cole.

Armed with the cushion, Cole wasn’t pleased about walking Tsutsugo on a 3-2 pitch that ended a 12-pitch at-bat and opened the home fourth. Cole responded by retiring the following three hitters.

Inserted between Judge and Stanton in Aaron Boone’s lineup Ford broke a 13-inning scoreless streak for the Yankees who hadn’t touched home plate since the seventh inning of Thursday’s loss to the Phillies.

With Judge on first and one out, Ford drilled a 2-0 pitch from Glasnow well over the wall in right-center to give Cole a 2-0 lead. The blast was measured at 437 feet.

Walks to Stanton and Gleyber Torres presented another scoring threat that resulted in Urshela’s two-run double to left-center that upped the Yankees’ advantage to 4-0.

Stanton and Torres opened the second inning with singles but the Yankees didn’t convert that into runs and their trouble hitting with runners in scoring position continued.