Overview
- Payton Tolle, which Sunday, Sept. 13, began Boston’s rain-delayed game at Fenway by striking out three Royals on nine pitches to record an immaculate inning to open the game.
- An immaculate inning means three strikeouts on nine consecutive strikes and is rare in MLB, a feat Tolle accomplished against Nick Loftin, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone.
- Tolle built on the start by throwing six scoreless innings, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out seven as the Red Sox won 4-1.
- The outing was the first Red Sox immaculate inning since Chris Sale in 2021, the first to open a Boston game since Pedro Martínez in 2002, and the eighth in franchise history.
- Tolle entered the start as a 23-year-old second-round pick who has emerged into a key rotation option this season with a sub-3.20 ERA and high strikeout totals, and his fastball-heavy approach underlined why Boston is relying on him down the stretch.