Boston pitcher Payton Tolle delivered an impressive performance, allowing only two hits in eight innings, while Caleb Durbin’s grand slam in the eighth inning secured a 7-0 victory for the Red Sox over the Blue Jays on Thursday. Durbin’s 12th home run of the season, off Toronto’s Chase Lee, helped the Red Sox (65-56) salvage one win in the four-game series.
Despite the loss, the Blue Jays have won 11 of their last 17 games, moving closer to securing a wild-card spot in the American League. The series against the Red Sox was a positive start for Toronto in their upcoming matchups against the New York Yankees and the AL-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
The Red Sox have now won seven consecutive games with Tolle on the mound. In front of a crowd of 43,442 at Rogers Centre, Tolle (8-6) allowed only two hits and two walks while striking out four in his dominant performance.
Meanwhile, Max Scherzer reached a milestone by pitching 3,000 career innings, becoming the 139th pitcher in MLB history to achieve this feat. Despite the accomplishment, Scherzer expressed disappointment as the milestone came in a losing effort. The veteran Blue Jays starter has faced various injuries this season, including an inflamed left ankle, back spasms, and right forearm tendinitis, which has impacted his performance.
The Red Sox took an early lead in the game, scoring runs in the first and ninth innings. Despite the win, they struggled in the season series against Toronto, recording their highest number of losses against any team in 2026.
In a key moment of the game, the Red Sox loaded the bases in the fourth inning, but Scherzer managed to escape the threat by inducing a flyout. The Red Sox have maintained a strong record since the trade deadline, with a 19-8 record, leading all MLB teams in victories during that period.
The upcoming series will feature Toronto’s Shane Bieber (3-2) facing off against New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole (6-5) in a three-game weekend set.