And so, an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium with no seeming threat of the rain that drained the energy (in the Yankees’ favour) in the late innings of yesterday’s game. Today, Max Fried, who has bounced back well from the struggles that he had immediately after the All-Star game and has dominated in his last two appearances, took the mound. Versatile, veteran, Max Scherzer would be Toronto’s starter, and Fried would be first to take the mound.

He made it took easy in the first. George Springer popped out to Ryan McMahon in foul terrritory and then Davis Schneider was misdirected by Fried and swung out swinging. Third out was Vladimir Guerrero Jr who has thankfully slowed down his hit pace since the opening game in the series. He grounded out to Anthony Volpe who threw to Ben Rice before Guerrero could reach base.

The Yankees were determined that things were going to be very different in another regard than that first game – they were going to back up Fried in the hits column, and they sought to get to work straight away. Although Trent Grisham popped out to Isiah Kiner-Falefa in foul territory, Scherzer was going to give the Yankees their first opportunity, when he walked Aaron Judge. A single from Cody Bellinger, which dropped in evading Nathan Lukes in left, put two men on base. And then the crucial moment of the whole offensive game came when Rice hit a four-bagger to right centerfield, giving the Yankees and Fried a three run lead. 3-0.

The inning didn’t maintain its momentum as Giancarlo Stanton popped out to Schneider at second and Jazz Chishom Jr. hit a flyout to Lukes in left which meant that the Blue Jays could seek an immediate way back into the game. And that was the way it began to develop.

Firstly, Fried walked Alejandro Kirk and then he gave up a double to Ernie Clement to give the Toronto team two runners in scoring position. When Ty France popped out to Ryan McMahon the sun started to shine through Fried’s clouds a little more, but a Kiner-Falefa single which evaded Bellinger brought Kirk home and advanced Clement to third. 3-1.

And the Blue Jays weren’t done yet. Lukes hit a sacrifice fly to Judge which scored Clement. 3-2.

The final out of the top of the second came with Myles Straw grounding out 6-3, and Fried could breathe again.

The Yankees couldn’t get their momentum back in the bottom of the second as Toronto made getting them out look as easy as a-b-c. Austin Wells popped out to Clement, Anthony Volpe struck out swinging, and McMahon was called out on strikes as he couldn’t get the measure of Scherzer’s pitches.

And then the Yankees began to look like they might bury themselves. A sharp line drive to right evaded Judge and Springer moved to second. Then the error-ladened Volpe added another to his tally, allowing Schneider to fill the vacant base at first. Then, sadly for the Yankees, it was Guerrero’s turn and he added another double, hitting to leftfield. This one scored Springer and Schneider moved up to third and a lull descended on the stadium. 3-3.

So, the Blue Jays had a man on third and nobody out, and Fried really needed to snap out of it. And thankfully he did! Kirk grounded out to first, Clement lined out to Volpe who fielded it cleanly and France went on a 5-3 grounder.

Now, the Yankees were due their moment in the sun and so it came. Grisham who was looking a little wooden today struck out swinging to give Scherzer the edge, but then he gave it back to New York by walking Judge. Judge stole base for the 11th time on the season which meant that when Bellinger hit a powerful double to centerfield, Judge was in position to score. 4-3 to NYY.

Again, immediately after the scoring, the inning was easily closed down. Rice hit to righfield where Springer fielded it easily and then Stanton struck out swinging.

In the 4th, there was a shimmering, glimmer of a hope for the Canadian team. After Kiner-Falefa grounded out into foul territory on the first base side, Lukes singled on a peculiar hit to catcher, Wells who added to the peculiarity by making throwing error which allowed Lukes to advance to second. Once again, though, the team were unable to build on this with Straw called out on strikes and Springer being foiled by an accomplished catch by Judge in right, who looks like he is starting to get his fielding moxie back.

If anyone was starting to show signs of struggling and causing themselves problems, it was now the Toronto Blue Jays. Scherzer walked Chisholm, who then stole second as Wells was called out on strikes. However, over-eagerness on the part of the Yankees’ batters undid the chance with both Volpe and McMahon striking out swinging.

Similar tidings and fate awaited Toronto in their half of the fifth. Schneider hit a flyout to Judge. Then the chance came with Guerrero singling to leftfield. Their undoing came with Kirk grounding into a doubleplay. McMahon fielded, and passed the ball to Chisholm who speedily moved the ball to Rice to end the inning.

So, half the game gone. Chances are slim. 4-3 to the Yankees. Could they hold on?

Grisham got on base for the first time as he was gifted a walk as Scherzer seemed to have begun to struggle. He gather all his concentration and was able to see Judge called out on strikes.

The coaching staff from north of the border decided to bring in Ryan Borucki to keep the game close or better. He got both Bellinger and Rice to ground out to close the 5th.

More ground outs were added to the tally with Clement and France for Toronto going similarly and then Kiner-Falefa striking out.

Bottom of the 6th. The Yankees came and went quickly. Stanton struck out swinging, then Chisholm lined out to Straw in centerfield, and Wells was another strike out for Borucki as he swung wildly.

Fried continued to show his strengths as he had overcome an glitches he displayed in the earlier innings. In the 7th, he struck out Luke, got Straw to fly out to Judge (whoas already mentioned is much more convincing in the field today), and Fried finally got Springer to groundout 6-3.

Borucki’s pitching had been great. Braydon Fisher’s might just be better. He struck out each of the first three batters he faced – Volpe, McMahon, and Grisham.

And then there is that moment of risk… I really don’t rate Devin Williams (especially since he joined the ranks of the Yankees) and the sight of Aaron Boone calling for him when the Yankees have only a one run-lead, gave me palpitations. Fried had crafted his performance so carefully and now it seemed like the Yankees were tossing the pieces of the puzzle into the air in the hope that they might land well.

It seemed like their opponents had the same sense and called Addison Barger from the bench to pinch hit for Davis Schneider. And I wasn’t particularly surprised when Barger reached on an opportune hit in the direction of Chisholm at second.

And then Barger stole second…

And everyone held their collective breaths…

And then… And then…

Williams dug himself out of the hole that he had been making with his struggles…

Guerrero struck out swinging, Kirk grounded out 5-3 (McMahon to Rice).

Two outs. There was however that open base at first, and Williams filled it it when he walked Clement.

And then, with a little help from his friends, Williams closed out the inning, another grounder went from McMahon to Rice, this time from France. And the top of the 8th was over.

In the 9th, the Blue Jays made some switches. Barger remained in the game at third. Utility man, Kiner-Falefa moved from third to second. Jeff Hoffman came into pitch, replacing Fisher who had pitched one inning, three strikeouts and given up nothing.

Once again, the Toronto team managed to walk Judge who was having a great under-stated day. He advanced to second on a Cody Bellinger ground out, and to third on a ground out from Rice. Two outs… could they give themselves that cushion by getting Judge over the plate?

Well, no.

A third ground out followed with Stanton hitting to the shortstop, Clement who threw over to France to end the inning.

The opposite team had their last chance. The Yankees decided to make their own changes to defend this slender one run lead. The more experienced Paul Goldschmidt took over from Rice at first and the niow regular closer, David Bednar (thankfully) took over from Williams on the mound.

The Blue Jays hoped to strengthen their hand by introducing pinch hitter, Daulton Varsho.

Intead, Varsho increased the edge that the Yankees held when he hit a flyout to Grisham in centerfield.

But the moment was not gone. Luke crafted a single by hitting a line drive far enough away from Bellinger to aid him to be safe on base.

However, then in a moment of excitement, he tried to advance himself to second and was thrown out by Wells. 2 out.

And then just to show how games can be decided on clever decisions, it ended with the ball in Goldschmidt’s glove where the grounder that was hit towarded McMahon ended its journey.

4-3 to the Yankees. 2 games to 1 to the Yankees. The Blue Jays lead closed to 2 games.

What would happen next?