Ben Rice grew up in Massachusetts, but his latest contribution to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry belongs firmly in New York’s history books. His six-RBI performance Tuesday helped power a 9-0 Wild Card Series victory and put him alongside Yogi Berra and Lou Gehrig.

According to MLB’s Sarah Langs, Rice now has two career games with at least six RBIs against Boston, including the postseason. That ties Berra and Gehrig for the most by a Yankees player against the Red Sox since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920.

Rice went 4-for-5 with two home runs, including an eighth-inning grand slam that put the finishing touches on New York’s rout. With Aaron Judge absent from the lineup, Rice gave the Yankees more than enough production to take the opener of the best-of-three series.

His first qualifying performance came July 6, 2024, when he hit three home runs and drove in seven against Boston. Tuesday added postseason weight to a résumé that already included one unforgettable afternoon against New York’s biggest rival.

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Another Massachusetts native made sure those runs went unanswered. Cam Schlittler threw 6⅓ scoreless innings, struck out 10 and used a career-high 117 pitches to keep Boston quiet. It followed his eight-inning gem in last year’s decisive Wild Card game, when the Yankees eliminated the Red Sox with a 4-0 victory.

Their hometown connection makes the pairing especially painful for Boston, although their childhood loyalties differed. Schlittler grew up rooting for the Red Sox in Walpole. Rice, from Cohasset, was a Yankees fan surrounded by Red Sox territory. Both have now delivered major postseason performances in pinstripes against the team from their home state.

The Yankees still need another win to advance, but Tuesday showed how dangerous they can be without their captain. Schlittler handled the pitching, Rice supplied the biggest swings, and Boston was left facing elimination.