Ben Rice Redemption HR in 10th Wins It! NY 4 Toronto 3

August 17, 2026 paperbacklou 2026 0
Ben Rice puts Yanks ahead 4-2 with 2-run HR in top of 10th.

Ben Rice made an error at 1st base in the bottom of the 9th to help Toronto tie the score later in the inning, but made up for it by hitting a 2-run HR in the top of the 10th to catapult the Yankees to a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays on a Sunday afternoon at Rogers Center in Toronto.

Rice — who has been in a slump that has been made conspicuous by a horrid NY offense unable to score runs with Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger out — capped off a heroic start by Ryan Weathers, who pitched into the 8th allowing only 1 run — dueling Toronto Ace Dylan Cease.

And the other big hero for NY was Jose Caballero — who was everywhere on offense. He worked a walk against Cease using and winning 2 pitch challenges in the 3rd — then stole 3rd base, and scored a run on a sac fly; got a Clutch RBI single to put NY up 2-1 in the 7th; and bunted the inherited runner over in the 10th before Rice’s HR.

It was a huge win for the Yankees as they were able to salvage 1 game in the 3-game series at Rogers Center, and break a 3-game losing streak in which they’d only scored 2 runs in total.

And best yet, NY picked up a game on both Tampa and Boston — and so they ended up gaining a game on Tampa over the weekend (which lost 3 straight), and staying even with Boston.

“The season has tested our character and our resilience, and I think we have a lot of that in that room,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “Love the fight, and a good way into the off day.”

NY improves to 69-55, 5.5 behind Tampa and 3 ahead of Boston. Toronto falls to 61-65.

1. Weathers Fantastic Again

Hero #1 was Ryan Weathers, who was pitted against Toronto Ace Dylan Cease with NY’s back against the wall — having lost 3 straight.

And Weathers threw down again — as he’s done all year. No task too large, he retired the first 10 batters of the game in a row, getting easy groundouts and fly outs and striking out 2 with a nasty changeup and 80-MPH sweeper set up by a 94-MPH sinker.

Weathers got help from his Defense — notably George Lombard Jr. at shortstop who looks like a Puma in the field (said manager Aaron Boone in the post game a week ago).

2. Cease Great Too

Dylan Cease came in with a 7-5 2.40 record and leading the American League in strikeouts. And he would be tough on the afternoon — going 6.1 innings allowing only 2 hits while striking out 10 and walking 3.

Cease was throwing 96-MPH heat offset by a wicked 89-MPH slider, 86-MPH knuckle curve, and 89-MPH changeup.

3. Caballero Steals a Run off Cease in the 3rd

One of the walks that Cease gave up came courtesy of Jose Caballero in the top of the 3rd, where Caballero challenged strike calls on back-to-back pitches and won both times. Caballero worked a 4-pitch walk.

And then Caballero moved to 2nd on a groundout by Ben Rice — stole 3rd base — and scored on a sac fly by Luis Garcia Jr.

4. Caballero Puts Yanks Up 2-1 in 7th

Heliot Ramos got one of the 2 hits that Cease allowed — a double in the 1st inning with 2 outs. The other hit was a 1-out double by George Lombard Jr. in the 7th which sent Cease to the showers at 104 pitches.

Toronto brought in lefty Brendon Little and the Yanks pinch-hit Paul Goldschmidt whom Toronto intentionally walked. NY pinch-ran Jazz Chisholm Jr. for Goldschmidt. Amed Rosario lined out for the 2nd out.

But with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd, Jose Caballero ripped a CLUTCH single to left for a 2-1 Yankee lead. Caballero stretched the single into a double, but Toronto appealed and won the appeal to end the inning. So it was 2-1 NY.

5. Rice Error Leads to Tying Run in 9th Off Bednar

Weathers pitched into the 8th — getting the 1st out of the inning but yielding a single to Andres Gimenez and yielding to David Bednar who came in to attempt a 5-pitch save.

Bednar got the last 2 outs of the 8th, and then got a grounder to 1st to start the 9th but the ball went under Ben Rice’s glove for an error and leadoff runner.

Bednar then walked Alejandro Kirk, got George Springer to foul out for the 1st out — but threw a wild pitch to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Bednar went 0-2 on Ernie Clement, but Clement his a sac fly to tied the game and put all of Yankee Universe in the gutter.

6. Rice HR Puts NY Up 4-2 in 10th

A blown lead in the 9th and in the middle of a 3-game losing streak — a hero stepped up: Jose Caballero again — bunting the inherited runner to 3rd to lead off the top of the 10th.

And then Ben Rice — looking to hit a sac fly — hit a drive out of the park to right center for a 2-run HR and 4-2 Yankee lead.

7. Hill Gets the Save

Tim Hill pitched the bottom of the 10th, and got a ground out for the 1st out, moving the inherited runner to 3rd.

Gimenez then reached on an infield single to shortstop that scored the run and here we go again — 4-3 NY with the speedy Gimenez on 1st.

But Hill got Nathan Lukes to hit a lineout to left, and got Brett Bateman to ground out back to Hill for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401816552

 

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