OAKLAND, Calif. — Last September, when Jason Dominguez made cameo appearances in eight games for the Yankees, he was playing for almost nothing.
The stakes are up this time around and after a quiet start, the 21-year-old outfielder may be starting to feel seasick.
Dominguez hit his second game-tying, two-run homer of the road on Sunday to help the Yankees beat the Athletics 7-4 at the Coliseum and complete the sweep.
“Last year we weren't even close to making the playoffs,” Dominguez said before the Yankees returned to New York for their final home game of the regular season, “but this year everything matters. Everything you do matters. It's definitely different. The preparation is different.”
Dominguez has reached base safely in nine of 11 games since being promoted from Triple-A.
He struggled defensively, dropping two balls he should have caught in the series against the Mariners.
But he ended the trip with his first two home runs of the season.
That incident Sunday happened in the second inning after the Athletics had led 2-0 in the bottom of the first.
“That means a lot. [to contribute]”That's what I'm trying to do, I'm trying to contribute to the team in some way, so it means a lot to me to be able to contribute to the team in any way,” Dominguez said.
Luis Gil, making his second consecutive start, struggled with control in the first inning but settled down after that.
He issued two walks, both of which scored on a Tyler Soderstrom double, putting the Yankees in a tight spot early, but he managed to complete 5 1/3 innings while giving up four runs.
“It felt like he wasn't necessarily in the best rhythm, but as always, if he can limit the walks and get in the strike zone well enough, he's a tough pitcher to hit,” manager Aaron Boone said. “The first inning and the last few innings were tough for him.”
Gleyber Torres hit the first pitch of the game to center field for a single and then hit a home run in the fifth inning.
He has reached base safely in 21 of his last 22 games and 43 of his last 45 games.
In his last 45 games (since Aug. 2), he is batting .301 with five doubles and six home runs.
Torres hit a leadoff single in all three games of the Athletics' series.
Tim Hill continued to be a weapon in left field, retiring all three batters on five pitches in the seventh inning. … Alex Verdugo replaced Dominguez in left field defensively in the eighth inning.
