On a night where fans celebrated the return of heralded top prospect Jasson Domínguez, fellow youngster Austin Wells had the biggest swing for the Yankees in a rousing 10-4 victory over the Royals to kick off their six-game homestand. Wells added to his compelling AL Rookie of the Year case with a go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Yankees a lead they would never relinquish after a back-and-forth beginning.

The Yankees initially poured cold water on Domínguez’s call-up with some defensive blunders right out of the gate. Tommy Pham hit a routine grounder to third to lead off the game, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. bounced the throw, and Anthony Rizzo couldn’t scoop it at first. Pham then made it to third when upon stealing second, Wells threw the ball into center field. He eventually scored when Salvador Perez blooped a single into center. It was the dictionary definition of an unearned run for the Royals, but Rodón was able to hold them there, striking out three in the inning.

After a quiet second inning on both sides, the Royals tacked onto their early lead in the third. Rodón left a hanging curveball over the plate, and Perez torched it 110 mph in the other direction, reaching the visiting bullpen in left center for a 2-0 Royals lead.

The home crowd had good reason to cheer in the fourth, though. First, Domínguez made a gutsy play that led to a run. He singled to left for his first hit in the majors this year, and took second on a groundout by Rizzo. With a full count on Oswaldo Cabrera, he boldly took off for third, risking the final out for an extra 90 feet. While the cost-benefit of the move was certainly questionable, the rookie hit the jackpot when Perez’s throw eluded Maikel Garcia at third. Domínguez raced home and this time, the Yankees were the ones taking advantage of an error.

That 3-2 pitch to Cabrera was a ball, by the way, so he walked to set the table for Alex Verdugo. The Domínguez call-up sure seemed to put Verdugo on the outside looking in, but with Judge DHing, he still got the start tonight. He served to make the swirling outfield narrative even more interesting when he took Singer deep to right for his 12th home run of the year, and just his third since the All-Star Break.

The Yankees couldn’t take too much time to ruminate on the implications of that blast, however, as Rodón was the undeserving victim of more sloppy defense in the fifth. Bobby Witt Jr. singled with two outs to bring up Perez, who had already driven in a pair. But Rodón got him to pop a first pitch fastball seemingly harmlessly into the air on the right side. Torres went out, and Soto came in; as usual with plays like these, it’s far easier if the outfielder makes the call and the play. But Soto inexplicably let Torres try to make a much tougher over-the-shoulder catch, and he couldn’t do it. It dropped for a hit, and because Bobby Witt Jr. is faster than almost everybody else in baseball, he scored all the way from first in 10.98 seconds to quickly erase the Yankee lead.

Then in the sixth, Kansas City took Rodón deep again. This time, veteran outfielder Hunter Renfroe pounced on a misplaced changeup, muscling it over the left field wall. Just like that, the pendulum had swung right back in the other direction and the Royals were back ahead.

It was a frustrating night for Rodón, who pitched very well and got let down big-time by his fielders. The Royals punished two of his mistakes over the plate, but he deserved to leave his outing with a lead. All four of his pitches were working tonight; if he’s going to deliver results for this team down the stretch, he’ll need to be that true four-pitch guy. Encouragingly, it seems like Rodón’s strikeout stuff has finally returned to him (9 K’s tonight after 11 in his last outing) which is an undeniable positive for a pitcher and a staff which has lacked that ability at times.

The Yankees’ saving grace in this game was the Royals’ bullpen. Kansas City’s relievers have been among the shakiest in the league; their 4.43 ERA is the worst among teams in a playoff spot and sixth-worst overall. After Long retired the side in the sixth, the Yankees broke through against deposed closer James McArthur in the seventh. Gleyber Torres hustled out an infield hit despite an outstanding Witt Jr. play, then Soto walked. Aaron Judge didn’t wait around and smoked a single to left, scoring Torres from second to re-tie the game at 4-4.

Up came Wells, with two aboard. He had previously come up with two on in both the first and third, but could not come through. But the third time was the charm. McArthur put a fastball right in the happy zone, and Wells annihilated it.

Onward it flew into the bleachers in right field for a 7-4 Yankee lead.

Luke Weaver entered in the eighth inning, and true to Yankee bullpen form, got in some trouble. He allowed a leadoff single to the 4-for-4 Perez before walking pinch-hitter M.J. Melendez to bring up Garcia with two on and two out. But Weaver, who has been money in high leverage this season, worked his way back from 3-0 down against the would-be tying run before striking him out on three straight fastballs. With a whiff and a roar, the threat was extinguished.

Hungry for insurance, the first two Yankees reached in the eighth off Chris Stratton before Gleyber Torres lofted a single to center field to plate Cabrera for an 8-4 lead. Judge came up with the bases loaded and nobody out, a tantalizing chance to snap his 13-game homerless drought with a grand slam. Instead he rolled one to shortstop for a double play, but Verdugo came in through the back door to extend the lead to 9-4. Then Wells, fresh off the game-changing home run, added some more fireworks with an RBI double the other way to put the Bombers in double digits.

Now up by six, it was a good opportunity to ease Ian Hamilton back. In his first outing since June 16th, the righty retired the side in order, inducing a fly ball to center from Pham to end the ballgame. With the win, the Yankees extended their AL East division lead to 1.5 games as the Red Sox dismantled the Orioles at Fenway, 12-3.

Tomorrow night, New York will face former crosstown rival Seth Lugo, who has been among the league’s elite arms this year. Marcus Stroman will take the ball for New York with first pitch set for 7:05pm ET on YES.