The Yankees were down 3-0 in the 4th inning. Dylan Cease was dealing. Two walks, two outs — and Ryan McMahon broke his 0-for-24 skid with an opposite-field three-run shot that tied the game.
Then Ben Rice — the rookie putting together one of the best seasons in baseball — stepped up against Cease, fell behind 0-2 twice, got a 2-0 fastball, and launched it into the right field seats.
16th home run of the year. Tied with Aaron Judge for the team lead.
That's not a coincidence. That's who Ben Rice is.
The Comeback That Wasn't a Fluke
May 19 — Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4. Yankee Stadium. 90 degrees. The kind of night that builds championships.
Will Warren went 5 innings for the win, improving to 6-1. The bullpen — shaky of late — held the line. And Camilo Doval locked down his first save of the season with two runners in scoring position, pounding his chest after the final out.
This wasn't luck. This was a team that knows who it is.
Where They Stand Now
The Yankees are 30-19, on a 2-game winning streak, and have gone 11-1 in their last 12 home games — following a brutal 2-7 road trip that had everyone hitting the panic button.
The playoffs? 94.4%. They didn't need this win to stay in. But wins like this one? They build something bigger than a percentage.
The Bottom Line
Down 3-0. Two homers later. Yankees win.
That's the headline. That's also who this team is.
The Bronx didn't flinch. The question isn't whether they're a World Series team. The question is how far they go.
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