By CHARLES O’BRIEN Associated Press
Rookie Ben Rice goes off as Yankees clobber Red Sox
NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Rice became the first Yankees rookie to homer three times in a game and drove in seven runs as New York snapped a four-game slide with a 14-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer and D.J. LeMahieu also drove in a pair of runs as the Yankees won for the fifth time in 19 games. Aaron Judge added two hits.
Rafael Devers had a long homer and two RBI for Boston, which had its five-game winning streak halted.
Rice led off the game with a drive to right off Josh Winckowski and added a three-run shot off reliever Chase Anderson as part of a seven-run fifth inning. The 25-year-old first baseman capped his day with a second homer off Anderson in the seventh inning.
After Rice’s third homer, Juan Soto stepped out of the batter’s box to allow the rookie to take a curtain call.
Rice entered the game with one homer in his first 46 big league at-bats.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rice is the first rookie among the 22 Yankees who have hit three homers in a game.
The Yankees’ 14-hit, 14-run barrage bailed out starter Gerrit Cole, who allowed seven hits and four runs in 4 1-3 innings while striking out eight and walking two. He had struck out five straight batters before Devers’ homer
Devers was responsible for most of the damage against Cole. In addition to a 441-foot homer, Devers had an RBI single in the third, his 1,000th career hit. As he headed toward first base after his homer in the fifth inning, he shouted toward Cole as the New York right-hander menacingly stared at him.
After Soto ground out to open the fith inning, Judge singled off Brennan Bernadino (3-2). Verdugo dropped a perfectly placed bunt down the third base line. Judge game around to score on Anthony Volpe’s ground-rule double. After a pitching change, Trent Grisham was intentionally walked, loading the bases. Rookie pinch-hitter Austin Wells forced in a run with another walk. A sacrifice fly and a LeMahieu single scored two more runs and forced another pitching change before Rice drove Chase Anderson’s second pitch into right-center field, breaking the game open.
Tim Hill (2-0) threw 2 2-3 scoreless innings for his first victory as a member of the Yankees. New York signed the veteran left-hander on June 20.
THE CHAMPS ARE HERE
UConn head men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley — winner of back-to-back NCAA championships —threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The lefty-tossing Hurley also threw out the first pitch in the Bronx on July 23, 2023, after the Huskies’ fifth national championship.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: 2B Gleyber Torres (groin) was held out of the lineup. New York manager Aaron Boone indicated Torres was available off the bench and could return to the lineup Sunday.
Red Sox: Manager Alex Cora did not have an update on RHP Chris Martin, who went on the 15-day IL Friday with right elbow inflammation. … There is no timeline for INF Vaughn Grissom’s return. The 23-year old has been on the injured list since March, although Cora noted that there has been some improvement.
UP NEXT
Struggling New York RHP Luis Gil (9-4, 3.41 ERA) opposes RHP Kutter Crawford (4-7, 3.47 ERA) in the series finale.