ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — This is what it was supposed to look like.

Opening a late-season series against their division rival Rays, the Yankees put together a strong offensive attack.

DJ LeMahieu crushed a pair of home runs.

And Gerrit Cole was dominant again across 7 ⅔ innings of two-run ball.

Except instead of the end result being critical to the AL East standings and playoff chase, all the Yankees’ 6-2 win did was pull them back to four games under .500 in the basement of the division, 15 games back of the second-place Rays.

With just their second win in their last 12 games, the Yankees (62-66) provided a glimpse of what could have been with the kind of all-around effort that has too often been missing this season.

Cole, who has been the Yankees’ most consistent performer, was terrific while matching a season-high with 11 strikeouts and no walks.

He gave up just three hits and only one of the runs charged to him was earned.

Coming off arguably his worst start of the season last Saturday, when he gave up six runs across four innings against the Red Sox, Cole got his Cy Young chase back on track with a strong effort against the Rays (78-52).

Cole was locked into an early pitcher’s duel with Rays right-hander Zach Eflin (six innings, two runs, 11 strikeouts) before the Yankees pulled away with an 11-hit night.

LeMahieu led the way with a pair of solo home runs.

The first came in the fifth inning, putting the Yankees ahead for good, and the second padded their lead at 6-1 in the eighth inning.

The veteran infielder has now hit three home runs in his last three games, after hitting three home runs in his last 70 games before that.

Everson Pereira also delivered his second career hit in the top of the sixth to double the Yankees’ lead.

With two outs and runners on first and second, Pereira roped a single the other way to drive in a run that made it 2-0.

After Yandy Diaz took Cole deep for a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth, the Yankees created some breathing room in the seventh.

Gleyber Torres delivered an RBI ground-rule double before Giancarlo Stanton added a two-run double to make it 5-1.

Jonathan Loaisiga relieved Cole in the eighth inning and allowed an inherited (unearned) run to score, but went on to close out the win.