Bringing up Jason Dominguez allowed the Yankees and their fans to dream about the possibilities: A playoff lineup loaded with important names and backgrounds from top to bottom of the roster.
Then the Yankees stepped up to bat and made that dream come true.
The lineup, capable of scoring with strength and speed, outweighed the team's defensive errors with RBIs and running power to beat the Royals, 10-4, on Monday in the series opener and the first game of the Dominguez era.
A rapt crowd of 35,308 watched as “The Martian” scored one run and another rookie, Austin Wells, hit a three-run, game-winning home run to cap off the second comeback of the night.
Despite trailing 2-0 after three innings and 4-3 after six innings, the Yankees (83-61) used an explosive seventh inning to maintain their lead in the AL East.
The Yankees struck out Royals right-hander James MacArthur in the deciding inning.
Aaron Judge led off with an infield single by Gleyber Torres and a walk by Juan Soto, then hit a tying single through left field for the Yankees' sixth run in scoring position.
With a runner on second, Wells hit a surefire hit into the deep right field stands for his 13th home run of the season in what was an outstanding rookie season.
The final blow wasn't the deciding blow. The Yankees entertained the Royals' relief pitchers in the eighth inning, scoring one on a Torres single, one on a bases-loaded double play by Judge, and then another blast from Wells, a run-scoring double to cap off a four-RBI night, putting the Yankees in double figures.
The Yankees had stayed within striking distance on their previous outing: Dominguez, who had been promoted that afternoon, singled in the fourth inning, advanced to second on a grounder by Anthony Rizzo that might have resulted in a double play if there had been a slow runner on first, then stole third base.
Kansas City catcher Salvador Pérez threw to left field, allowing Dominguez to score the Yankees' first run.
Dominguez has played center field but is expected to primarily play left field in the final weeks of the season, benching Alex Verdugo frequently.
As if on cue, or perhaps sensing pressure from his competition, Verdugo saw Dominguez score and walk Oswaldo Cabrera before smashing a two-run homer to right field to briefly take the lead, his second in 51 games.
Jake Cousins, Luke Weaver and Ian Hamilton pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to protect what was perhaps yet another lopsided victory.
Carlos Rodon (allowed four runs in six innings, two of which were legitimate) was better than the defense.
In the first and fifth innings, the Royals scored on Yankees assists. First, Tommy Pham reached first base, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. caught a ground ball and threw it wildly to first. Pham stole second, saw Wells' throw bounce off center field, advanced to third and scored on a single by Perez.
Perez hit a solo homer in the third inning to score the Royals' second run, then hit a pop fly into the clouds in the fifth.
Juan Soto ran in but didn't get Torres out, who had overrun the ball, and Torres retreated too late, so his gift single fell and Bobby Witt Jr. scored from first base for the Royals' third run, tying the game.
Rodon regretted two pitches but was pleased with the remaining 96. The big lefty allowed six hits and one walk while striking out nine batters.
