Rice's Two Homers And Four RBI Lead Somerset To Win
The Somerset Patriots defeated the Hartford Yard Goats for a third straight night by a score of 9-3 on Saturday at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Somerset Patriots defeated the Hartford Yard Goats for a third straight night by a score of 9-3 on Saturday at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford, Connecticut.
Not 1. Not 2. Not 3...But 4 hits tonight for #Yankees catching prospect Ben Rice.
— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) July 23, 2023
In his third Double-A game, and first catching, Ben Rice went 4-for-5 with 2 HR, 2 R, 2B and 4 RBI. pic.twitter.com/5Yzf3RwAvx
The Patriots hit 4+ home runs in the game for the seventh time this season. Somerset’s three-game win streak has included 3+ homers in all three games.
Somerset’s pitching staff struck out double-digit batters (10) for the 14th time in 19 games during the second half of the season.
RHP Richard Fitts (6.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 HR, 7 K) earned his sixth win of the year in his 10th quality start of the season. Fitts ends the night ranking 1st in the Eastern League in IP (100.2), 2nd in SO (108) and WHIP (1.16) and 4th in ERA (3.75).
C Ben Rice (4-for-5, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 HR) registered his first career four-hit game and his first career two-home run game in his third game at the Double-A level.
Rice’s 4 RBIs matched a season-high, making him the ninth member of the Patriots this season to eclipse 4 RBIs in a game. o Rice becomes the second Patriot this season to register four hits in a game, joining Aaron Palensky, who also accomplished the feat at Hartford on June 11. In three games since his promotion to Somerset on July 18, Rice is 8-for-15 with 6 RBI, 4 R and 2 HR.
RF Willie Calhoun (1-for-3, 2 RBI, R, HR) hit a home run in the second game of his Major League rehab assignment for the Yankees, playing five innings in right field.
1B T.J. Rumfield (2-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 R, HR, K) opened the scoring with his 16th homer of the year in the first inning, putting together his 12th multi-hit performance of the season.
In seven games since the All-Star break, Rumfield has posted five multi-hit games, while going 10-for-28 with 7 RBI, 4 R, HR, 4 2B and 4 BB.