Ben Rice hit a three-run homer in the second inning after Giancarlo Stanton blasted a two-run shot in the first as the host New York Yankees raced out to a seven-run lead and recorded a 7-4 victory over the sliding Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon in the final game before the trade deadline.

The projected rain began falling in the fourth and intensified in the fifth. Play was stopped after Jasson Dominguez drew a walk against Tampa Bay reliever Kevin Kelly and the game was delayed for 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Rice made his 21st start as a leadoff hitter this season and hit his 16th homer when he crushed a 2-2 cutter from Tampa Bay starter Ryan Pepiot (6-9) into New York’s bullpen beyond the right-center-field fence. Rice homered after entering with three hits in his previous 24 at-bats.

Rice’s blast followed walks by Ryan McMahon and Anthony Volpe and gave the Yankees a 6-0 lead.

The catcher homered after Stanton hit a 432-foot drive off Pepiot into the left field seats. Stanton hit his eighth homer since returning from the injured list last month two batters after shortstop Taylor Walls lost a pop-up by Paul Goldschmidt, who reached on a double.

Cody Bellinger recorded an RBI single before Stanton connected. Austin Slater hit an RBI groundout in the third inning in his Yankees debut after being obtained from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday as New York won for the fourth time in five games. The Rays have lost three straight.

Tampa Bay All-Star Jonathan Aranda hit an RBI single in a four-run fourth inning off New York’s Marcus Stroman and exited in the fifth following a scary collision at first base with Stanton.

The Rays also lost Yandy Diaz (bruised right forearm) after he was hit by a Stroman pitch in the first inning, and rookie Chandler Simpson exited in the third inning with a left hand injury.

Jonny DeLuca hit an RBI single and Walls had an RBI double in the fourth while Junior Caminero lifted a sacrifice fly.

Stroman (3-2) allowed four runs on six hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out three, walked none and ended his outing by getting a double-play grounder from Christopher Morel as the rain intensified.

New York reliever Yerry de Los Santos struck out five in three scoreless innings and Jonathan Loaisiga converted his first save with a shutout ninth.

Pepiot allowed seven runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts in four innings.

–Field Level Media