Ben Thrice! Yankees prospect swats 3 home runs, igniting offense in much-needed rout [Video]

NEW YORK — Saturday’s showdown with the Red Sox had the makings of yet another gut-punch loss for the Yankees.

Ace Gerrit Cole was pitching well early on, but he got slapped around in a three-run third. Not only did Rafael Devers — his arch nemesis — give the Red Sox a lead with an RBI single in that third, but he swatted a booming home run off Cole two innings later, admiring his work with a huge bat flip.

Devers crushing Cole yet again turned out to be a footnote, though.

Ben Rice and his three home runs — part of a much-needed outburst from the offense in a 14-4 win — was the story, one that Yankees fans won’t soon forget.

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Rice became the first rookie in Yankees franchise history to hit three home runs in a game, a 3-for-5 …