By Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Jasson Domínguez went 3-for-3 with a three-run double that put the New York Yankees ahead in the sixth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.
Max Fried (3-0) struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings and the Yankees erased a 2-0 deficit with a four-run sixth aided by three straight two-out walks. New York will go for a three-game sweep Wednesday in a rematch of an AL Division Series won by the Yankees over the Royals in four games last October.
MJ Melendez homered and Bobby Witt Jr. hit an RBI double off the right-center fence in the third for the Royals, who lost for the fourth time in five games and fell to 2-6 on the road. They have dropped 19 of their past 20 completed series against the Yankees since May 2015, including the playoffs.
Luke Weaver retired Maikel Garcia with two runners on to end the seventh and set down all four batters he faced. Devin Williams worked a perfect ninth for his third save.
Michael Wacha (0-3) was working on a four-hit shutout when he walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe to load the bases in the sixth. Angel Zerpa entered and, struggling to hear his PitchCom device, walked Austin Wells on four pitches to force in a run.
Domínguez, who singled twice batting left-handed against Wacha, then lined a 1-2 fastball down the left-field line, hitting right-handed against Zerpa and knocked his own helmet off his head with his follow-through.
Key Moment
Defensive replacement Trent Grisham made a fine running catch in deep center field with a runner aboard to help thwart a potential Royals rally in the seventh.
Key Stat
Melendez was batting .077 with one extra-base hit this season when he homered into the New York bullpen leading off the third to snap an 0-for-18 skid.
Up Next
Royals LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 0.96 ERA) starts the series finale Wednesday night against RHP Clarke Schmidt, scheduled to make his season debut after recovering from rotator cuff tendinitis.
Schmidt was 5-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts last season, and the Yankees hope his return can boost a scuffling rotation minus ace Gerrit Cole and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil due to long-term injuries.