Ben Rice, a rookie for the New York Yankees, made history on July 6, 2024 by hitting three home runs in a single game against their archrivals, the Boston Red Sox. This feat marked the first time a Yankees rookie achieved this milestone since Bobby Murcer in 1970.
Rice's impressive performance began with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning at Yankee Stadium. In an interview after the game, Rice shared his excitement about setting off a strong start for his team and overcoming his previous struggles, having only hit one home run in 46 at-bats before this game.
The second home run came in the fifth inning when Rice hit a three-run homer. This was followed by another three-run homer during the seventh inning, making it a total of nine RBIs on the day for Rice. Aaron Boone, Yankees manager, praised his rookie's performance and called it 'big time.'
The Yankees went on to win with a score of 14-4. Rice became the third rookie in MLB history to hit three home runs from the leadoff spot.
Rice's journey to becoming a professional baseball player began at Nobles, where he was an accomplished high school player. He then attended Dartmouth College and was drafted by the Yankees in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft as a catcher. Rice later transitioned to playing first base and made his major league debut on June 18, batting .394 with a .971 OPS in his first 17 games.
Despite being drafted by the Red Sox's archrivals, Rice remained loyal to the Yankees throughout his career. He shared that both teams had shown interest in him during the draft process and expressed gratitude for their support.
The Yankees' victory improved their record to 55-36 on the year, marking their first win of July after losing their first four games.