The Yankees’ 12-8 win over St. Louis has made everything even: both teams are now 10-10 in their previous 20 games. The offensive outburst on Friday not only evened out their previous rivalry record. But 26-year-old Ben Rice got high praise from Aaron Boone for his seven RBIs.

Rice’s fireworks came in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings. He hit a three-run homer off Sonny Gray in the fourth, a bases-clearing double against Kyle Leahy in the sixth, and an RBI single in the seventh. And just like that, the Yankees turned Busch Stadium into their own ballpark.

After the game, in the post-game interview with the YES Network, Aaron Boone was quite happy. And he praised Ben Rice’s performance. He said, “He’s hit the ball hard all year. We talk about unlucky and all that—he’s the poster child. He’s had so many balls on the screws for outs this year.” Boone’s confidence in Rice’s play was evident. As he said, “He’s definitely in a good place at the plate. I think he’s doing a great job of controlling the zone while still making sure he’s going up there aggressively looking for his pitch.”

Well, he a reason for that confidence. Ben Rice started the season as a catcher but soon became the Yankees’ main first baseman, playing the position in 67 of his first 80 games. And he hasn’t disappointed them. Over his last seven games, he hit with an avg. of .333 with 2 homers and 7 RBIs.

When Ken Rosenthal asked Rice about his ability to play different positions on Baseball Night in America, he said, “I think it’s just continuing to adjust every day, knowing the kind of role I am in. I am going to be able to move around the diamond a little bit, and it just helps to know that I can be flexible and help Boonie out.”

When talking about the offensive explosion, Rice’s team-first attitude came through. “Well, I mean good things happen when you get guys on base, you know pitchers now they gonna attack you so it’s just a credit to this lineup getting guys on base getting traffic out there, and I was fortunate able to capitalize on good pitches.”

He’s not just filling in. He’s creating a legacy that pays tribute to the Iron Horse himself.

Rice Joins Lou Gehrig in Rare 7-RBI Club

Ben Rice’s most recent outburst at Busch Stadium put him firmly in the Yankees’ history of great hitters. The 26-year-old first baseman joined a group that only Lou Gehrig had been a part of before. This was his second career seven-RBI game.

Gehrig, the Iron Horse, held the record for nine such games during his legendary career. Rice is now standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Not just once but twice, which makes his achievement even more impressive.

This isn’t a one-time blast. Rice had his second seven-RBI game after doing the same thing in July 2024, when he was a rookie and hit three home runs in one game and drove in seven runs. He was the first Yankees rookie to do so. That first performance was a lot like Gehrig’s early career success.

Ben Rice’s breakout form is just what the New York Yankees need to end the 2025 season strong. They’ve has moved up in the AL wild-card race and are now just 1.5 games behind the Mariners and Red Sox after winning four of their previous five games. Rice’s seven RBIs during that time not only helped the team’s offense. But they also gave them a big boost in the late season.