NEW YORK (AP) — A Fried Rice combo left Ben Rice hungering to yuk it up with Max Fried.

About to catch his Yankees teammate for the first time, the New York catcher couldn't wait to mention the battery word play when he walked into Wednesday's pregame meeting,

“It’s such a layup of a joke I had to say it right right when we got in there," Rice said after Fried pitched the Yankees over the Chicago White Sox 8-1 and pulled New York into a first-place tie with Toronto.

Fried became the major leagues' first 19-game winner, allowing one run and four hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. He is 6-0 with a 1.55 ERA in his last seven starts.

Fried ate up the humor.

“Ben made a joke that it was the first Fried-Rice combo,” Fried said, flashing a small smile as he recalled

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