ST. LOUIS — Ben Rice delivered another explosive offensive performance Saturday night, driving in seven runs to lead the New York Yankees to a 12-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
The 26-year-old first baseman matched his career-high RBI total, becoming only the second player in Yankees franchise history to record multiple games with seven or more RBIs. The legendary Lou Gehrig remains the only other Yankee to achieve this feat, accomplishing it nine times during his Hall of Fame career.
Rice’s latest power display marks his second seven-RBI game of the season. His first came on July 6, 2024, when he became the franchise’s first rookie to hit three home runs in a single contest.
Rice leads Yankees offensive surge
The Yankees’ offensive explosion began in the fourth inning when Ben Rice connected on a towering three-run homer that traveled 429 feet off former Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray. The blast put New York ahead 6-5, a lead they maintained throughout the remainder of the contest.
Rice continued his assault in the sixth frame, clearing the bases with a three-run double that extended the Yankees’ advantage to 9-5. He completed his dominant night with an RBI single in the seventh inning, pushing the score to 11-7.
The versatile infielder finished 3-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored. His performance helped the Yankees secure their fourth victory in five games.
“I think we’re in a good spot,” Rice said after the game. “We’re just going to continue to take it one series at a time. It’s good that we got the win, we got to get the sweep [Sunday] and keep taking that momentum into each [day].”
Historic achievement connects Rice to Yankees legend
Rice’s seven-RBI performance places him in rarified company within the Yankees organization. Only Lou Gehrig, known as the Iron Horse, previously achieved multiple seven-RBI games in Yankees pinstripes. Gehrig accomplished the feat nine times, including during his American League-record 184-RBI season in 1931.
The connection to Gehrig adds significant historical weight to Rice’s accomplishment. The Hall of Fame first baseman remains one of the most revered figures in franchise history.
Rice has appeared in 50 games for New York this season, splitting time between first base and catcher. He entered Saturday’s contest batting .240 with an .804 OPS.
Advanced metrics support Rice’s strong contact quality
Despite inconsistent results throughout the season, Rice’s underlying statistics suggest better performance ahead. His hard-hit percentage of 55.2 percent ranks eighth among all major league players. His expected slugging percentage of .555 places him in the 96th percentile.
Manager Aaron Boone has praised Rice’s consistency at the plate despite unlucky results.
“He’s hit the ball hard all year,” Boone said. “We talk about unlucky and all that — he’s the poster child. He’s had so many balls on the screws for outs this year.”
Rice entered Saturday’s game hitting .300/.371/.467 over his previous eight contests. His advanced metrics include an average exit velocity of 93.4 miles per hour (97th percentile) and a barrel percentage of 15.7 percent (94th percentile).
Before Saturday’s breakout performance, Rice had the second-highest difference between expected weighted on-base average (.402) and actual wOBA (.341) in baseball.
“He’s definitely in a good place at the plate,” Boone added. “I think he’s doing a great job of controlling the zone while still making sure he’s going up there aggressively looking for his pitch.”
Yankees end lengthy drought with consecutive series victories
The victory secured New York’s second straight series win for the first time since late May. The Yankees had endured 20 series without back-to-back series victories, winning only seven during that stretch.
Boone credited Rice’s development throughout the season.
“He’s taken [the opportunities] and turned himself into a really prominent player,” Boone said. “We talk about unlucky and all that, he is the poster child. He’s hit so many balls on the screws for outs this year. Right now, he’s getting rewarded a little bit for it.”
Supporting cast contributes in high-scoring affair
Trent Grisham recorded four singles and scored four runs in the victory. Aaron Judge added his 39th home run of the season along with an RBI double and two walks.
Judge’s homer created its own piece of history, making him the first Yankees player to homer against all 29 other major league teams during his tenure with the franchise.
Jose Caballero sparked the offense from the bottom of the lineup with two hits, three runs scored and two stolen bases. Ryan McMahon contributed his first home run as a Yankee in the seventh inning.
Wild card race implications
The triumph helped New York gain ground in the competitive American League wild-card standings. The Yankees trail the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners by 1.5 games for the top two wild-card positions while maintaining a 2.5-game cushion over the Cleveland Guardians for the third spot.
New York improved to 66-57 with the victory, matching their season high for runs scored.
“On a night like tonight, and any night where we have guys that are down that we normally have in the lineup, it just speaks to how deep we are,” Rice said. “We have so many guys up and down the lineup, everyday guys or not, that can contribute in different ways. We have a really good lineup.”
The Yankees will attempt to complete a three-game sweep Sunday when Will Warren (7-5, 4.34 ERA) faces Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas (6-9, 4.97 ERA).
Yankees starter Max Fried earned the victory despite surrendering seven runs in five-plus innings. David Bednar recorded his 20th save of the season.
Rice’s historic performance provided a glimpse of the offensive firepower that could propel the Yankees into postseason contention as they push toward October. The 26-year-old’s historic performance highlights his breakout season and fuels the Yankees’ playoff hopes.
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