Red Sox starter Payton Tolle throws immaculate inning to open win over Royals

The Boston Red Sox started Sunday's game against the Kansas City Royals with a perfect note. In the top of the first inning, Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle threw an immaculate inning to begin the game.

Tolle needed only nine pitches to retire the first three Royals and achieve the rare MLB feat: Leadoff hitter Nick Loftin struck out looking, followed by Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone , who both struck out swinging.

Tolle went on to hold the Royals scoreless for six innings, throwing seven strikeouts and allowing just four hits and a walk. Though he found himself in a jam in the sixth, Tolle held on to draw a strikeout from Matthew Lugo and complete the inning.

Boston's bullpen held on in the later innings to win the game 4-1.

Tolle's stellar first inning became just the eighth immaculate inning in Red Sox franchise history, via the Boston Globe's Tim Healey . It was the first for Boston since Chris Sale achieved the feat on Aug. 26, 2021.

Along with Tolle's, there have been only 124 immaculate innings in MLB history; though more rare than no-hitters, there has been an increase in the number of these innings in recent years as pitchers hone their craft and increase their speeds.

Tolle's immaculate inning comes just two days after Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Justin Martinez threw one as well. Five have taken place this year in total, thrown by D-backs' Michael Soroka (March 30), Cleveland Guardians ' Gavin Williams (July 23) and Minnesota Twins ' Taj Bradley (Aug. 25) in addition to Tolle and Martinez.