Ben Rice homers twice as Yankees break out in 12-4 victory

Yankees offense erupts to split series.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 91 min read

Ben Rice crushes two home runs and the @Yankees lineup breaks out to split the series! https://t.co/C5pWzrosPW Via @MLB on X

What happened: Ben Rice hit two home runs to lead the New York Yankees to a 12-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The dominant offensive performance allowed New York to salvage a split in the four-game series.

Why it matters: The victory snaps a two-game losing streak for New York and provides a needed spark for the lineup. Securing the split prevents the Yankees from losing further ground in the standings, improving their season record to 51-42.

By the numbers: Rice's second home run traveled 422 feet with an exit velocity of 103.9 mph, marking his 28th of the season. The Yankees scored a combined nine runs over the first three games of the series before erupting for 12 in the finale against the 54-37 Rays.

What to watch: New York looks to build on this offensive momentum in their next matchup. The team will aim to string together consecutive wins as the All-Star break approaches.

Sources

@MLB 2026-07-09T20:50:55.714061+00:00

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