Rice in Derby form with 27th, 28th HRs in Yanks' romp at Trop

ST. PETERSBURG -- Ben Rice hasn’t given much thought to the strategy of participating in the upcoming T-Mobile Home Run Derby, saying that the best advice he’s received is to “enjoy the whole experience and all it has to offer.”

If he keeps swinging the bat like this, Rice will have a great time in Philadelphia.

Rice homered twice and drove in five runs as the Bombers outslugged the Rays, 12-4, on Thursday afternoon at Tropicana Field. Austin Wells also homered as the Yanks secured a split of a four-game series against the American League East leaders.

“The guy hits a million homers,” Ryan McMahon said of Rice, who has a team-leading 28 blasts. “He’s got a super-short, super-tight swing. He’s putting a lot of energy into that baseball. He’s not losing it by getting long, and he’s consistent. He shows up every single day. He can do everything with the bat.”

The Yankees chased All-Star Drew Rasmussen in a six-run third inning, which featured Rice’s first blast of the day, a two-run shot that just cleared the right-field wall. He added a three-run shot in the sixth off Casey Legumina.

Though Rice has six homers in his last nine games, he said he hasn’t changed much at the plate -- he’s just getting results.

“You’re never going to think about mechanics all that much in the box,” Rice said. “I think if you use more external thoughts, it could clean some things up for you.”

And there were thoughts shared Thursday in a pregame hitters’ meeting, where Jazz Chisholm Jr. spoke up, reminding the team that they are better than how they’ve been playing.

The Yanks responded by erupting for their most productive day since June 16 vs. the White Sox (also 12 runs).

“He never is too vocal, but it was good to hear him speak and say what he was thinking at the moment,” Max Schuemann said. “I feel like it really brought the guys together. I think it needed to be said, so I’m glad he stepped up.”

The performance also came shortly after general manager Brian Cashman expressed his confidence in manager Aaron Boone and hitting coach James Rowson to steer the club out of a skid that had seen them drop 15 of 20.

“You’re fired up that some guys that have been scuffling are putting together really good at-bats,” Boone said. “Then you’re always trying to be greedy and say, ‘Let’s keep pushing.’”

Wells’ homer in the fourth inning was the catcher’s fifth of the year and first since May 22.

“He got some good swings off,” Boone said. “He looked like he was getting in a strong position, ready to do damage, but then having the ability to lay off pitches out of the zone. Hopefully it’s a good step for him.”

Paul Blackburn started for New York, working two innings in a bullpen game. Junior Caminero hit a first-inning homer off the right-hander, who said the pitching staff “did a great job.”

“It definitely helps when we hang out a six-spot in the third,” Blackburn said. “Everyone was able to do their part today.”

That third-inning rally was the kind of everyone-contributes showing that the Yankees have been waiting for. Schuemann sparked it with a leadoff double, revealing later that McMahon had remarked, “Let’s go double-double here.”

“It’s funny how it works,” Schuemann said.

Sure enough, McMahon delivered, his confidence growing throughout a 12-pitch battle to rip a Rasmussen cutter down the right-field line for a game-tying double.

“I just meant, ‘Let’s get something going,’” McMahon said. “He did a great job starting us off and it gave me a little vote of confidence to go up there and battle as hard as I could. Good things happened for us.”

Trent Grisham put New York in front with an RBI single, with Rice, José Caballero and Chisholm also driving in runs. Rasmussen’s six runs allowed were a career high.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ve ever had an inning spiral like that,” Rasmussen said.

But now he has. As Rasmussen exited, the Yankees’ bench was filled with what Rice described as “a lot of energy.”

“It was great,” Rice said. “Everyone’s cheering each other on, smiling, laughing, enjoying it. When it’s going like that, it just feels contagious. Everyone’s feeding off each other. It definitely boosts our morale heading into the next series. We’ve just got to keep that momentum going.”