On Saturday, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice made history by becoming the first rookie in the history of the organization to hit three home runs in a game. But moments later, Rice had one of the most awkward curtain calls in recent memory, which resulted in longtime Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay poking fun at him.
The Yankees came into the game in desperate need of a spark. For much of the season, they had looked like the best team in all of baseball. But they have struggled immensely as of late, losing 15 of their last 20 games ahead of Saturday’s rivalry matchup with the Boston Red Sox.
Ben Rice provided that much-needed spark in a historic way, finishing the game with three home runs and seven total RBIs. His final home run came in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Red Sox reliever Chase Anderson, etching his name in Yankees history forever in the process.
“Driven out to right field and deep,” said Kay on the call of Rice’s blast. “There it goes! What a day for Ben Rice! Another three-run shot! My oh my! What a day for the rookie!”
Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay on the call of Rice's historic blast:
"Driven out to right field and deep. There it goes! What a day for Ben Rice! Another three-run shot! My oh my! What a day for the rookie!" https://t.co/VYt9zNw1VP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 6, 2024
In baseball, it is customary for players who achieve historic feats to get a curtain call from the fans in attendance, which Rice ended up getting. The only problem was that Rice didn’t exactly know where to go, as it was his first curtain call as a major leaguer.
That led to a very awkward moment where Rice was walking around the Yankees dugout confused about which side of the dugout to go. Michael Kay proceeded to plead with some of the Yankees veterans to show Rice where to go to receive his special moment.
“They want a curtain call! He doesn’t know where to go… Show him the way!”
Michael Kay also pokes fun at Rice not knowing where to go for his curtain call.
"They want a curtain call! He doesn't know where to go… Show him the way! Wow… Chills." pic.twitter.com/4cIlUVMGwt https://t.co/Hkb7m4pgbT
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 6, 2024
Once Rice did get his moment, he received a massive ovation from the home crowd in New York, a moment that Kay proclaimed gave him “chills”.
Considering all of the struggles the Yankees have had recently, this kind of moment from Rice has to be one of the highlights of the year thus far for the organization as a whole. Even if the rookie did rightfully receive a bit of light teasing about his awkward curtain call…
