How Ben Rice has become Yankees’ leading man in lineup this season

NEW YORK – Ben Rice found himself batting leadoff Sunday afternoon, at a time when Yankees Universe is calling for more. More opportunities for Rice to impact a game. And less of a chance that he’s parked on the bench against certain lefty starters, waiting for a leveraged turn at-bat.

“It’s just been impressive to see him take his walks when he can. And come up with the big hit when we need it,’’ said Aaron Judge, following a 7-0 victory against the Royals. And the Rice-Judge dynamic atop the order ought to get some play.

For a fourth straight game, Rice hit a home run as the Yanks – for the second straight day – battered a Kansas City club now riding a seven-game losing streak. Three of Rice’s last four homers have been hit versus lefty starters, including Sunday’s second-inning solo shot off Cole Ragans. Ben Rice sets the tone But go back to Rice’s first time up Sunday, when he drew a full-count walk against the Royals’ lefty, which set up Judge’s sixth homer in his last eight games.

Rice’s “really long, grind-it-out’’ plate appearance, per manager Aaron Boone, helped the Yanks to a 2-0 lead – the first time in five starts that Ryan Weathers had any runs to work with. Weathers blanked KC into the eighth inning to earn his first win, and the Yanks (13-9) completed a third straight, three-game sweep of the Royals (7-15) dating to last season. After an off day, the Yankees go into New England – from where Rice hails – for a series against the Red Sox, with two lefties due to make Boston starts.