Ben Rice's bomb in 9th inning helps Yankees gain ground on Blue Jays, overcome Anthony Volpe's latest error

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News on Jul 22, 2025

Published in Baseball

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TORONTO — The New York Yankees didn’t play a sound game for the second straight night, but they did gain ground on the first-place Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-4 win on Tuesday.

Ben Rice became the hero in the series-tying victory, breaking a 4-4 tie in the ninth with a solo home run off Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman. The first-pitch blast was Rice’s 15th of the year and helped put the second-place Yankees three games behind the Blue Jays in the American League East.

It also allowed the Yankees to overcome yet another error from Anthony Volpe.

With Tim Hill pitching, Myles Straw running and the Yankees leading, 4-2, Volpe shorted a throw off a ground-ball for the second consecutive game to begin the sixth inning. Two batters later, Davis Schneider made it a one-run game with an RBI double. Following a pitching change, a two-out George Springer single off the struggling Jonathan Loáisiga tied the game as Schneider beat an Aaron Judge throw to the plate.

Volpe, who also batted ninth for the first time this season on Tuesday, now has 13 errors this season. That ties him with San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames for the most in the majors at any position. Volpe also entered Tuesday’s game with -2 Outs Above Average after totaling 14 last season as a Gold Glove finalist, but Aaron Boone has repeatedly downplayed the shortstop’s regressing defense.

While Volpe’s defensive woes persisted, a strong all-around performance from Cody Bellinger and a gritty outing from Cam Schlittler also assisted the Yankees’ win.

Bellinger had two doubles in the game – including a first-inning two-bagger that set Jazz Chisholm Jr. up for a three-run homer — and a solo shot in the fifth. Bellinger now has 18 home runs this season, matching his total from 2024.

Bellinger, playing left field, also made a nice sliding catch for the second out of the second inning. Schlittler loaded the bases with a walk afterward, but he induced a popup from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to escape the jam.

Schlittler totaled two earned runs over five innings in his second big league start. He also tallied seven hits, three walks and three strikeouts over 90 pitches. The two runs he permitted came on Addison Barger singles.

The Yankees are now 11-17 against the American League East this season. Boone has acknowledged that that record needs to improve; Tuesday was a start with the Bombers now looking for a series win on Wednesday.

Max Fried will make his first start since suffering a blister prior to the All-Star break. Chris Bassitt will take the ball for Toronto in the finale.

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