Rookie Ben Rice delivered a remarkable performance, hitting three home runs in the New York Yankees’ dominating 14-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rice is the first rookie in Yankees history to accomplish this feat in a single game.
“This is definitely a day I’ll never forget,” Rice said postgame. “I’m just pumped that it was a big-time win for us, a good bounceback win, and over my hometown team. So it’s pretty cool.”
The 25-year-old kickstarted the Yankees’ offense with a powerful solo home run to right field in the bottom of the first inning.
“What a game, and obviously, in the midst of what we’re going through, to come out and set the tone right away in the first inning with a homer and then put together a kind of legendary day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters. “Just really big time.”
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Rice further extended the Yankees’ lead with a three-run home run, pushing the score to 10-4 in favor of New York. His standout performance continued in the seventh inning, where he smashed his third home run of the game, another three-run shot.
“He hit three in a day – something he’ll never forget and people over here probably watching will never forget,” Boone added.
Following his third home run, Rice was cheered on by his more experienced teammates to take a curtain call. Emerging from the dugout, Rice doffed his helmet and waved to the cheering fans at Yankee Stadium, marking his exceptional day as a rising star.
“Honestly, it was all happening so fast,” Rice said. “I think I was still just coming off the high of hitting the home run. I was just walking through the dugout and then I heard everyone yelling at me to do something. I didn’t even know what they were talking about, but as they slowly guided me toward the steps, I was like, ‘Oh, dude. A curtain call. That’s pretty cool.’”