BALTIMORE -- With the Yankees' hopes of a division title dwindling, the club capitalized on a chance to gain ground in the American League East on Thursday as Max Fried dominated the Orioles in a 7-0 win.

The series-opening triumph at Camden Yards followed losses from Toronto, Boston and Detroit and gave the Bombers an 86-67 record with nine games left in the season. That doesn't give the Yankees much time to win the American League East -- they trail the Blue Jays by three games, and Toronto holds the tiebreaker -- but the possibility remains in play.

The Yankees, who got to their Baltimore hotel around 3:30 a.m. after playing in Minnesota on Wednesday evening, also have a two-game lead over the Astros and Mariners for the top AL Wild Card spot.

The Yankees' latest victory featured seven scoreless innings from Fried, who set a new career-high with his 18 win of the season. The left-hander also has 182 strikeouts this year, another personal best, after he tied his career-high with 13 punchies on Thursday.

With a six-pitch arsenal at his disposal, an economical Fried induced 45 swings and 28 whiffs while also tallying three hits, one walk and 87 pitches in his 31 start of the year. His ERA, meanwhile, is down to 2.92 as he nears the end of his first campaign in pinstripes.

Looking every bit like the ace he's being paid to be, Fried benefitted from an early lead, as lefty killer Amed Rosario ripped a two-out, two-run double off Orioles southpaw Cade Povich in the first inning. Rosario, playing for the first time since Sunday, entered the game slashing .318/.345/.514 vs. left-handed pitchers this season.

The Yankees scored again in the fifth inning when Austin Wells plated Anthony Volpe with a bloop single. Volpe reached with a hustle double and went on to steal third base.

The seventh inning brought four more Yankees home, as Paul Goldschmidt shot an RBI single down the first base line before Aaron Judge roped a sac fly to left field. Giancarlo Stanton proceeded with a two-run double down the third base line.

With the first game of the series going their way, the Yankees will face another lefty in Trevor Rogers on Friday. Rogers has been excellent this season, posting a 1.43 ERA over 16 starts.

Rookie right-hander Will Warren will take the ball for the Yankees. He is coming off a poor showing, as he surrendered six first-running runs to the Red Sox on Sept. 14.

Magnificent Max Fried reaches new highs as Yankees cling to division hopes with win over O's