New York Yankees slugger Ben Rice delivered a historic performance, driving in six runs to tie a franchise postseason record in a 9-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.
Playing in place of the injured Aaron Judge as the number two hitter, Rice led the offensive surge with four hits, including two home runs, against Boston starting pitcher Payton Tolle and the Red Sox bullpen.
Setting the Tone Early Against Boston
The left-handed slugger opened the scoring momentum early with a 110 mph double off Tolle in the first inning. Although he was stranded at second base initially, that hard-hit ball set the tempo for New York’s offense.
In the fifth inning, with the Yankees holding a slim 1-0 lead from Austin Wells’ second-inning RBI single, Rice expanded the advantage. He hit a 423-foot solo home run off relief pitcher Erik Miller to dead center field.
Blowing the Game Open in the Late Innings
Rice extended the lead further in the seventh inning by lining a 106 mph single off Alec Gamboa to drive in another run with the bases loaded. He capped his dominant night by launching a grand slam in the eighth inning off reliever Brayan Bello, bringing his game total to six RBIs and matching the all-time Yankees playoff record.
“He pummeled pitches all night,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game. “They went after him a little bit and he made them pay.”
Dominant Pitching Backs the Offense
While Rice anchored the lineup, starting pitcher Cam Schlittler delivered a stellar performance on the mound. Schlittler struck out 10 batters across 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just two singles and one walk on 117 pitches. The dominant outing earned him a thunderous standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 48,737.
The victory gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, putting pressure on Boston heading into Game 2.
