What do you define as a signature moment? If you’re an old-school fan, you might think they’re reserved for the postseason. If you’re a younger fan or someone who values the regular season, you might think a signature moment can happen anywhere. If you’re Michael Kay, you probably think any big hit ever is a signature moment. Just ask 2018 Giancarlo Stanton.
If you subscribe to the thought that a signature moment can happen anywhere, indulge me for a second. Ben Rice, who barely got enough plate appearances
last year to shed the rookie label for 2025, had a signature moment within his grasp last July.
On July 14, 2024, the Yankees and Orioles faced off on the Sunday before the All-Star break, tied at the top of the AL East. Winner got the lead into the break and good vibes off a series win. It was a close game throughout, and the Orioles had a 3-2 lead in the ninth. Veteran closer Craig Kimbrel came on to send the O’s into the break happy, but the Yankees didn’t make it easy on him.
With two on and nobody out. Rice, who was playing in his 24th career game and in the midst of his torrid start after replacing Anthony Rizzo, turned on a 0-1 fastball and crushed it for a go-ahead home run. A signature Yankee moment for the rookie.
That signature moment was erased, as bad defense by Alex Verdugo and Anthony Volpe erased the lead in one of the worst losses of a memorable 2024.
Fast-forward to tonight, a big divisional matchup. It’s not as close as it was last July, but the Yankees needed a win more than they’ve needed one all season. Locked in a bitter 4-4 tie late and still winless in Toronto, Rice turned on a first-pitch fastball from veteran reliever Jeff Hoffman and hit a go-ahead home run.
This time, it stuck. Devin Williams locked it down, and the Yankees ended their five-game losing streak north of the border with a desperately needed 5-4 win behind a solid start by Cam Schlittler and homers by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger.
The Yankees got off to just the start they needed. Trent Grisham led off with a single before Bellinger doubled to right center to immediately put two in scoring position. In a rare move, Blue Jays manager John Schneider decided not to intentionally walk Judge with first base open, and it paid off, with the veteran Scherzer striking him out. Unfortunately for Schneider, he should’ve considered walking Jazz, as the Yankees’ second baseman smacked his 18th home run of the season to quickly put the Yanks up 3-0.
After Scherzer got the next two outs, it was time for the rook. Cam Schlittler went out and had spotty command of his secondaries early, walking George Springer and eventually allowing an RBI single to Addison Barger (who’s quickly becoming quite annoying). Schlittler rebounded to strike out Alejandro Kirk, but Toronto got a run back.
After a quiet second for Scherzer, the Jays put immediate pressure on Schlittler with a one-out infield single and a walk to Will Wagner. With two out, Springer worked a very gritty walk to load the bases for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who popped out to strand the bases juiced.
Bellinger got another double with one out in the third and Chisholm walked with two out, but the 40-year-old future Hall of Famer was able to stymie the threat by retiring Judge and Stanton. Schlittler finally settled in after two long innings, rebounding to throw just 25 pitches combined in the third and fourth after throwing 45 through two innings.
Scherzer had settled in by the fifth, but the Yankees grinded him down, and it eventually bore fruit, as Bellinger was able to golf a 2-2 cutter at his shins for a 405-foot homer to right field, his 18th of the season, to extend the lead to 4-1.
Third time through against the heart of the Toronto order in the fifth, Schlittler got in immediate trouble with both Springer and Guerrero Jr. singling to start the inning. Then, at the end of a gritty 9-pitch AB, Bo Bichette ripped a ball up the middle that was snagged by Volpe, who started a beautiful 6-4-3 double play. Good range by Volpe, a barehanded catch by Jazz, and a nice stretch by Rice at first for an all-around smooth play.
Toronto still plated a run that inning with a ground ball RBI single by Barger, but Schlittler worked through five to leave in line for the win. It was a gritty start for the 24-year-old after 12 days off against a tough lineup that doesn’t play to his strengths. He might be a target for a seller at the deadline, but he’s shown enough to stick around in the meantime.
Mason Fluharty came on for Toronto and had a clean sixth. Tim Hill came on for the Yanks, and Myles Straw hit what looked to be a routine ground ball to Volpe, only for him to not get enough mustard on the throw, and the inexperienced Rice couldn’t come up with it. Oh boy. That was an MLB-leading 13th error for Volpe.
Unfortunately, the Yankees couldn’t just pick up their shortstop. Hill allowed an RBI double to Davis Schneider to cut the lead to one before being pulled ahead of Springer for Jonathan Loáisiga, whose struggles continued by allowing a game-tying RBI single to Springer. Of course.
An easy seventh for Fluharty led to another stressful inning in the bottom half, as Loáisiga got ambushed on an inside sinker for a double before being lifted for Luke Weaver. In a tough situation of having to weasel out of a runner on second with nobody out, Weaver pulled a Houdini act to get this game to the eighth tied.
It just felt like the Yankees’ offense couldn’t get much going for much of the game after the first, and especially after Scherzer departed. Another southpaw, Justin Bruihl, mowed down the top of the order (around a Judge IBB). Weaver walked Schneider with one out and was chased from the game with two out for Ian Hamilton, who finally got Springer after he had reached the first four times.
Toronto went to Jeff Hoffman for the ninth, and conventional wisdom says a closer shouldn’t throw four out of five days. John Schneider opted to go against that conventional wisdom and was punished, as Rice made up for his botched scoop earlier with a massive go-ahead home run with one out. His 15th blast of the season gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead.
On came Devin Williams for the save. It didn’t start fun, as Vladdy ripped a single through the right side to start the inning. Fortunately, in his first save situation since his disastrous blown save in April, Williams gritted his teeth to strike out Bichette and Kirk and lock down his 15th save. Ian Hamilton gets the win, his second.
The Yankees go for the series victory tomorrow with their ace on the bump, as Max Fried returns from his blister issues to face Chris Bassitt at 7:07pm ET. Remember, tomorrow is an Amazon Prime game!
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