Benintendi goes deep twice in rout of Yankees

NEW YORK — The ballots aren’t due for another seven weeks, but there will be no drama: Aaron Judge will win the American League Rookie of the Year award, and he’ll likely win it going away.

That’s as it should be. Even in the midst of a second-half slump, Judge still leads the A.L. in homers, runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging and walks and is fifth in RBI. At the All-Star Game, when he won the Home Run Derby, no less than the commissioner of baseball wondered aloud if Judge hadn’t become the proverbial “face of the game.’’

But if Judge has been the best rookie, there was a reminder Saturday that he’s not the only rookie – the Red Sox’ Andrew Benintendi had a fabulous day for himself with two three-run homers in the Red Sox’ 10-5 win over the Yankees.

He smoked one on a line in the third inning, then hit one deeper and harder two innings later. Both homers were the big blows in five-run innings for the Red Sox. In two mighty swings of the bat, Benintendi nearly equaled the number of hits with runners in scoring position (three) that the entire Sox roster had collected in their first 10 games against the Yankees this year.

Like Judge, Benintendi has experienced the dreaded second-half drop-off. His slump was bad enough that John Farrell saw fit to sit him for two straight days on the last homestand. But ever since, Benintendi has looked like he’s intent on making up for lost time.

After being benched on July 31 and Aug. 1, Benintendi has returned with a vengeance. Since that time, he’s hit .484 (15-for-31) with four homers and 11 RBI in eight games.

“Since those couple of days down to clear his mind,’’ said Farrell, “he’s been right in the middle of a lot of big innings for us. A couple of times today, he got some pitches out front and did a lot of damage.’’

Historic damage, actually. Research discovered that he’s the youngest Red Sox player to amass six RBI in a game against the Yankees since 1920, when RBI became an official stat.

During his mini hiatus from the lineup, Benintendi didn’t make any radical changes to his swing. Instead, it was more of a mental break, giving him time to take some extra batting practice and regain his confidence at the plate.

“I can’t say there’s been anything fundamentally that he’s changed,’’ Farrell said. “He’s got a beautiful swing and more than anything, he’s a natural looking hitter. (During the slump), he was just missing some pitches that he used to square up. Now, he’s back to doing that.’’

Benintendi tends to answer questions with the studied nonchalance of Crash Davis in Bull Durham, speaking in platitudes and directing attention away from himself and onto teammates he believes to be more deserving.

Asked by a reporter how it felt to have a day like he did, he effortlessly shifted into “team-first’’ mode.

“It was good,’’ he said. “Drew (Pomeranz) threw well…scoring 10 runs, you usually win those games.’’

Pressed on his own accomplishments, Benintendi yielded little.

“I just got my pitch,’’ he allowed, “put a good swing on it…I was fortunate to have it go out.’’

Actually twice, Crash.

“We gotta play it one day at a time…I’m just happy to be here…Hope I can help the ballclub..I just want to give it my best shot, and the good Lord willing, things will work out.’’

But Benintendi isn’t really a star-struck rookie. Down deep, he has a fierce belief in his abilities, enough so that he wasn’t even tempted to make adjustments when he was taken out of the lineup.

“It feel the exact same,’ he insisted, comparing his at-bats now to those three weeks ago. “I haven’t changed a thing. I’m just not missing my pitch when I get one. You kind of trust what got you here. You don’t stray from that.’’

Not with a swing as pretty as Benintendi’s. In another season, his .807 OPS and 16 doubles and 65 RBI – with another seven weeks still to play – would have him very much in the conversation for Rookie of the Year.

Not this year. Judge has more than twice as many homers and OPS more than 200 points higher.  The conversation has been hushed.

Still, Benintendi got the last laugh Saturday. He hit his third homer of the series, and he got to hit all three in front of his paternal grandfather, a Brooklyn native, who celebrated his 85th birthday Friday. Some 20 or so members of the Benintendi clan took in Saturday’s game.

“He was a Yankee fan,’’ said Benintendi.

The rookie outfielder then took a beat, and with a comic’s timing and an impish grin, added: “Not anymore.’’