The New York Yankees hardly broke a sweat in their blowout win against the Boston Red Sox, 9-0, in Game 1 of their wild-card series on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium.
Ben Rice was one of the main actors, hitting two dingers, including a grand slam in the eighth inning, and driving in six runs. Cam Schlittler starred from the mound, recording 10 strikeouts and allowing just three baserunners, two singles, and a walk.
With Rice and Schlittler in elite form, the Red Sox had no chance.
In a report from the Associated Press, manager Aaron Boone said he was confident that Rice was “going to have a really big year.” The 27-year-old hitter has lived up to the prediction.
Fans showered him with praise for his powerful performance against the Red Sox.
“Big Ben filling in nicely for (Aaron) Judge. Hit one for both of them. Baby bombers might be back,” said @howsyabird.
“SECOND homer AND a grand slam in a wild-card game. Ben Rice is cooking Boston alive. Who's still sleeping on him?” asked @mirzaotovic.
“Guess he just turned the game into a rice cooker, and we're all the leftovers,” added @wkghqlcl.
“41 HRs this year vs. 26 last year. You didn't just have a good game, you had a whole different career,” noted @Stop_Imagine_1D.
“Rice already owns the postseason legacy angle. Second homer of the night off a grand slam and Boston's bullpen just handed him a signature game before October even starts,” commented @DanielBakekgdb.
Schlittler's comment on Rice, however, might be the best one.
“He's been dominant all season. It's very exciting to watch. I'm glad he can go out there today and get his flowers,” said the All-Star pitcher, as quoted by Field Level Media.
The Yankees will look to close out their archrivals in Game 2 on Wednesday, with Max Fried getting the start.