Will Warren and Jasson Dominguez chose the same night for the best games of their young careers in the New York Yankees 10-2 win over the Athletics.
Dominguez shone on Friday night, becoming the youngest player in the Yankees’ rich history to hit three home runs in a single game.
“This night was special,” said Dominguez. “When I connected the third one, I said to myself: ‘It’s not true. It’s not true‘.”
Dominguez’s mark that surpasses the legendary DiMaggio
The Dominican capped the memorable night with a grand slam in the eighth inning that dethroned Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio in the Yankees’ record book.
At 22 years and 91 days old, Dominguez is the youngest player in Yankees history with a three-homer game, surpassing the mark of DiMaggio set in 1937 against the St. Louis Browns by 109 days.
On the mound, Warren had a solid outing over 7 1/3 innings with just four hits against, one run allowed, while striking out seven and walking one in front of 12,049 fans at a Sutter Health Park, the temporary home of the Athletics.
“It was incredible,” said team captain Aaron Judge, one of three Yankees in history with a grand slam during a three-homer game.
“Even going back to spring training, the guy that goes out there and hits earns the spot. To see him have a game like this tonight, with three home runs, is pretty special,” added Judge.
Dominguez hit a home run as a lefty in the third inning, another as a righty in the seventh and a third as a lefty in the eighth, the grand slam on a night of seven RBIs.
Warren consolidates his position as a young star
For Warren, all the flashes of promise the young apprentice has shown came together in one performance.
He reduced his ERA by almost an entire run, from 5.65 to 4.75, and generated as much hope as he did all year.
“Hopefully it’s another step forward for him and another confidence boost,” manager Aaron Boone said of Warren, who had struggled in his first seven starts this season, keeping his spot in the rotation in part because the Yankees simply had no better option.
“I think he knows he can succeed in this league. A night like tonight confirms that. He was really good.”
The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher responded by throwing a gem against the Athletics, striking out seven, allowing just one walk and being in complete control until he allowed a pair of hits in the eighth.
Everything went well for the former star prospect, who was trying to live up to his potential, causing multiple strikeouts with his four-seam fastball, sweeper, changeup and curveball.
The Yankees (22-16) won their third straight game after losing three in a row, starting a six-game road trip on a high note and in historic fashion.
“It means a lot,” Dominguez said of his place in the record books. “To be able to write your name in history is really good.”
In what became a five-run, 10-batter eighth inning, Dominguez put the finishing touch on the best game of the 22-year-old’s life.
There has never been any doubt about the talent of one of the most eagerly awaited prospects in baseball history, who has been compared to Mickey Mantle practically since he signed as a teenager.
There have been some doubts about how soon he could break into the Major Leagues, and perhaps now is the time.
Read the full article here
