Ben Rice HR in 9th Gets Elephant Off Yankee Back. NY 5 Toronto 4

July 23, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0

Ben Rice hit a solo HR off Toronto Ace Reliever Jeff Hoffman in the top of the 9th to put the Yanks on top 5-4 and finally gain them a win over the Blue Jays after 5 straight losses.

Rice had faced Hoffman in the 9th inning on Monday night and struck out; but that allowed him to gain looks at Hoffman, which helped win the game on Tuesday.

There were other Yankee heroes:

  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a 3-run HR in the 1st and made a spectacular bare-handed catch and throw to turn a double play in the 5th;
  • Cody Bellinger hit 2 doubles and a HR — and made several tremendous plays in left field;
  • Cam Schlitter was tremendous — throwing 5 innings of 2-run ball, striking out 7 — outdueling Max Scherzer;
  • Luke Weaver threw 1.2 innings of no-hit, shutout ball; and
  • Devin Williams closed it with a shutout 9th.

All of that eradicated a throwing error by Anthony Volpe to lead off the 6th that led to 2 unearned runs and a tie game at 4-4.

“Obviously a big swing; a big blow; and finally get one up here north of the border this year,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards about Rice’s HR.

“You really see his stuff play,” said Boone about Schlittler. “To give us 5 strong innings there, put us in position to win. I thought he was really good.”

“The one thing that strikes me about Cam is his confidence, and his trust in what he’s doing out there,” added Boone. “He feels he has stuff to handle you, and that shows. It shows with the way he handles himself; it shows with the way he attacks. He’s not afraid.”

NY improves to 56-45, and are now 3 games back of Toronto, which falls to 59-42. Boston is 6 out and Tampa is 6.5 out.

1. Chisholm 3-Run HR in 1st Gets Elephant Off NY Back

Max Scherzer started for Toronto. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer came in at 1-0 4.70 in 5 starts.

Signed to a 1-year contract in the off season paying $15.5 M, Scherzer made a start at the beginning of the year on March 29th, then went out with a right thumb injury — and came back into the rotation on June 25th.

This was his 5th start since then — and he’s been pitching 5 innings a start allowing 2 or 3 runs. He faced the Yanks on June 30th, and pitched 5 innings of 2-hit, 2-run ball — helping Toronto beat NY 5-4 which started the horrid 5-game Yankee losing streak to the Jays.

But this time the Yanks got to him early — Trent Grisham started off the game with a single to right, Cody Bellinger ripped a double to center, Aaron Judge struck out, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. came up with a Huge, 407-foot, 3-run HR to right center to get the elephant off the Yankees’ back.

2. Schlittler Good!

Cam Schlittler then took the mound in his 2nd big league start. He had impressed in his first start 2 weeks ago, but then was pushed back in the rotation after the All Star break after experiencing some tightness in the bicep of his throwing arm.

Schlittler got an out, then walked George Springer, allowed a single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., struck out Bo Bichette, and allowed a single to Addison Barger for a 3-1 game.

Uh Oh.

But Schlittler struck out Alejandro Kirk and confidence re-emerged amongst Yankee fans watching.

Bellinger Helps with Great Catch in 2nd

Schlittler got into more trouble in the 2nd — a 1-out infield single by Ernie Clement and walk to Wagner put 1st and 2nd with 1 out.

Nathan Lukes hit a liner to left that had basehit written all over it — but Cody Bellinger came in to make a terrific play for the 2nd out.

Schlittler then walked George Springer to load the bases — but got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to pop out to end the inning. PHEW.

After that Schlittler pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 3rd, and allowed but a 1-out single in the 4th.

3. Bellinger Blast Makes It 4-1 NY

Scherzer settled down after the 1st inning, pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 2nd, getting peppered a bit in the 3rd (another Bellinger double, and 2-out walk by Chisholm), and pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 4th.

But Bellinger got him again in the 5th with a 2-out HR to right center for a 4-1 Yankee lead.

4. Volpe-Jazz DP!

Up 4-1, Schlittler was again helped by his defense in the bottom of the 5th.

Leadoff single by George Springer and Vlad Guerrero Jr. put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Bo Bichette hit a grounder to short that Volpe and Chisholm made a SLICK double play on — Jazz barehanding the toss from Volpe and firing to 1st for the DP!

Next batter Barger singled in a run to right to make it a 4-2 game, before Schlittler got Alejandro Kirk to fly out to left and end the inning.

Schlittler’s line: 5 IP, 7 hits, 2 runs, 7 K’s.

5. Volpe Error Leads to 2 Unearned Runs in 6th

Tim Hill came in for the 6th, and got leadoff batter Miles Straw to hit a grounder to shortstop — but Anthony Volpe — knowing how fast Straw is — rushed the throw and on-hopped a rifleshot to 1st, which Paul Goldschmidt couldn’t handle. It was Volpe’s 13th error of the year — the most in MLB at any position.

Hill got Ernie Clement to fly out, but a double by Schneider brought home Straw and it was 4-3. Hill got a 2nd out, and Boone brought in Jonathan Loaisiga to face the righty George Springer.

But Springer singled to left for a 4-4 tie, before Loaisiga struck out Vlad Guerrero Jr. to end the inning.

6. Weaver Shuts the Door

Loaisiga allowed a double to Bo Bichette to lead off the 7th and was yanked for Luke Weaver, who got fly out, line out, line out to end the inning.

Weaver then got 2 outs in the 8th, sandwiching a walk — and was relieved by Ian Hamilton with a runner on 1st and 2 outs.

Hamilton Gets the Win — Aided by Bellinger

Hamilton got George Springer to line out to the alley in left — again flagged down by Cody Bellinger with a nice running catch.

Hamilton would get the win in the game.

7. Rice-a-Rony Treat

And then it was to the 9th with Jeff Hoffman on. He got Giancarlo Stanton to foul out to start the inning, but Ben Rice hit a HIGH DRIVE to right center that went 389 feet and out for a 5-4 Yankee lead.

8. Devin the Save

Devin Williams came in for the bottom of the 9th — and allowed a single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to start the inning.

But Devin struck out Bo Bichette on 4 pitches, got Barger to fly to left, and struck out Alexandro Kirk swinging for the old ballgame.

Devin used his famous ‘air benders’.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401696425

 

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