NEW YORK — Massachusetts native Ben Rice made Yankee history against his hometown team on Saturday as New York slugged its way past the rival Red Sox.
Rice became the first Yankees rookie to homer three times in a game during New York’s 14-4 victory over the Red Sox.
Rice led off the game by homering off Josh Winckowski, then and added a three-run shot off reliever Chase Anderson as part of a seven-run fifth inning.
The 25-year-old first baseman had more in his bat as he capped his day with a second homer off Anderson in the seventh inning.
“What a game!” New York manager Aaron Boone said. “To set the tone right away in the first inning with a homer and put together a legendary day. Something he’ll never forget.”
Ben Rice gets curtain call
After Rice’s third homer, Yankee superstar Juan Soto stepped out of the batter’s box to allow the rookie to take a curtain call. Rice had to be encouraged by the entire New York dugout to step out to acknowledge the cheers, seemingly unsure exactly how to handle the cheering crowd.
“It was all happening so fast,” Rice said. “Thankfully got it in. That was pretty awesome!”
Rice entered the game with one homer in his first 46 big league at-bats.
Yankees rookie’s Massachusetts ties
Rice grew up in Cohasset, Massachusetts, and signed the Pesky Pole as a child at Fenway Park. He joked that he infamously wrote ‘Yankees Rule.’ Rice noted that the only other time he could recall hitting three homers in a game was in summer league baseball in 2019. His parents were in attendance Saturday.
“Definitely a day I will never forget,” Rice said. “Pumped it was a big-time win for us over my hometown team.”
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rice is the first rookie among the 22 Yankees who have hit three homers in a game.
“I knew right away he got it,” Boone said of Rice’s milestone homer. “Wow, what a day!”