BALTIMORE (AP) — Max Fried struck out 13 over seven innings while earning his major league-leading 18th victory, and the surging New York Yankees blanked the Baltimore Orioles 7-0 Thursday night.

The victory moved the Yankees within three games of first-place Toronto in the AL East. Both teams have nine games left.

New York has gone 17-7 since Aug. 23 to climb out of third place in the division and take charge of the AL wild card.

Mixing fastballs, changeups and a tantalizingly slow curve ball, Fried (18-5) dominated the last-place Orioles. His 13 strikeouts tied a career high, set last year against Boston while with the Atlanta Braves.

Fried allowed only three hits — all singles — to win his fifth straight start and reach a career high in victories. The lefty notched 17 wins in 2019 w

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