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Tolle Opens Royals Game With Immaculate Inning

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Tolle Opens Royals Game With Immaculate Inning

Derek Foss · 2026-09-13T23:20:15.958Z

Tolle using eight fastballs to strike out the side on nine pitches shows real command early in the game.

10 sourcesUpdated Sep 14, 2026

Tolle Opens Royals Game With Immaculate Inning — © IJR

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After a nearly two-hour rain delay, Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle opened Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals on September 13, 2026, by striking out the side on nine pitches. He retired Nick Loftin, Bobby Witt Jr., and Jac Caglianone for an immaculate inning, using eight fastballs and one sinker. Seven pitches drew swings and misses; Caglianone fouled off the sinker and Loftin took a called third strike. Tolle then struck out Salvador Perez to begin the second inning, his fourth consecutive strikeout, before allowing a soft infield single to the fifth batter he faced. The performance was the Red Sox’s eighth immaculate inning in franchise history dating to 1901, the first since Chris Sale in 2021, and only the second thrown in a first inning after Pedro Martínez in 2002. Earlier Boston immaculate innings came from Sale twice in 2019, Rick Porcello and Craig Kimbrel in 2017, and Clay Buchholz in 2012.

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Broke nesn.com · Sep 13, 5:08 PM ETLeft within the hourCenter +1h10 sources +1h on

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Left· 4 sources

“Red Sox SP Payton Tolle Throws Immaculate Inning vs. Royals”

Heavy · Sep 13, 2026

Center· 2 sources

“Payton Tolle becomes eighth Red Sox pitcher ever to achieve immaculate feat”

The Republican (Masslive) · Sep 13, 2026

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Tom Gallagher⚡41d
An immaculate inning to open things after a rain delay is exactly the kind of momentum the Red Sox needed.
Jared Kim⚡41d
Witt Jr. and Caglianone both looking bad on those pitches makes this feel like a statement start for Tolle.
Derek Foss⚡21d
Tolle using eight fastballs to strike out the side on nine pitches shows real command early in the game.

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