The Yankees broke out of their hunch in opposition to the Crimson Sox on Saturday, and rookie first baseman Ben Rice performed the starring position.
Batting leadoff, Rice made franchise historical past in simply his seventeenth big-league recreation with three house runs in a 14-4 win, turning into the primary Yankees rookie to hit three house runs in a recreation.
Rice hit a lead-off house run six pitches into the sport and adopted it with a three-run blast to offer the Yankees a 10-4 fifth-inning benefit.
He etched his identify into Yankees franchise historical past within the seventh inning with one other three-run bomb to place New York up by 10.
The Yankees (55-36) entered Saturday reeling, losers of 4 straight and 5-15 since June 13, the league’s worst report.
“Yeah I imply.. it is humbling, actually,” Rice stated on the sector after the sport. “Realizing what number of legends have worn this jersey earlier than me,” he continued.
When requested if he was aiming for a 3rd house run when he stepped as much as the plate within the seventh inning, he revealed, “No, by no means. I by no means do… It is all the time simply go up there and hit the ball exhausting.”
Rice completed the sport 3-of-5 and drove in seven runs.
He started Saturday with one house run and 5 runs batted in his first 55 plate appearances (46 at-bats).
Rice started the season in double-AA with the Somerset Patriots. There, he hit .261 with 12 house runs. He was promoted to triple-AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 5 and hit .333 with three house runs and a .440 on-base share in 11 video games with the RailRiders.
Following his historic third house run on Saturday, Rice took a deserved curtain name in entrance of euphoric Yankees followers.
“That is a second I am going to always remember. It was particular,” Rice shared afterward. “That is not one thing you get to do typically.”
