It was the top of the 10th, and the manager of the Yankees was caught between a rock, a hard place and Devin Williams.

Unfortunately, Aaron Boone chose Williams.

The all-but-inevitable outcome came quickly. The broken closer’s first pitch sailed wildly off the plate, advancing the ghost runner to third base with the right-handed heart of the Astros order waiting to get in their licks.

One after another, they did, culminating with Taylor Trammell’s two-run home run deep into the Bronx night that proved the difference in this 5-3 defeat, one that represented the club’s sixth loss in the past seven games and their 29th loss in 48 since June 13.