In a stunning display of power, rookie Ben Rice made a lasting impression on the storied rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Rice became the first rookie in the history of the Yankees franchise to hit three home runs in a single game, solidifying his place in Yankees lore.

The game began with Rice setting the tone early, launching a first-inning homer off Boston's Josh Winckowski, giving the Yankees an early 1-0 lead. However, Rice wasn't done yet. In the fifth inning, he struck again, this time delivering a three-run shot off Chase Anderson, extending the Yankees' lead to an impressive 10-4. And just to emphasize his dominance, Rice added yet another three-run blast off Anderson in the seventh inning.

Rice's exceptional performance didn't stop at home runs. He also collected seven RBIs, completing a remarkable stat line of 3-for-5 at the plate. This monumental achievement came at a crucial time for the struggling Yankees, who had lost four consecutive games and 14 of their last 20 matchups. The victory over their rivals was greatly bolstered by Rice's offensive prowess and provided a much-needed boost for the team.

Prior to this game, Rice had only hit one home run in his rookie season, with a batting average of .261 and an OPS of .755. However, his success in the minor leagues with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he hit 15 home runs with a .275 average and a .925 OPS in 60 games, hinted at his potential. Rice was called up in mid-June to fill in for the injured Anthony Rizzo, who had suffered a fractured arm and was expected to be out for at least eight weeks.

While Rice's incredible display stole the headlines, starting pitcher Gerrit Cole also played a crucial role in securing the Yankees' victory. Despite a rocky outing, allowing four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, Cole was able to rely on Rice's offensive contribution for support. One particular sore point for Cole was Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers, who hit a solo home run off him in the fifth inning, aggravating the pitcher when Devers celebrated by tossing his bat.

Devers' success against Cole wasn't a one-time occurrence. With two hits in this game, Devers' career numbers improved to a .342 average with eight home runs against Cole. According to MLB.com's Ian Browne, no other batter has hit more than four homers off Cole. Additionally, Devers achieved a personal milestone with his first hit against Cole, reaching 1,000 hits for his career. At just 27 years old, Devers joined an esteemed group of players in the Boston Red Sox franchise history to achieve this feat before turning 28, including Carl Yastrzemski, Tris Speaker, Bobby Doerr, and Xander Bogaerts.

With this impressive victory, the Yankees now find themselves 2 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East, while the Red Sox trail by eight games in third place. Rice's record-setting performance against their archrivals injects new energy into the Yankees' pursuit of the division title and highlights the potential of their rookie sensation.