Payton Tolle pitched six scoreless innings as the Boston Red Sox crushed the Baltimore Orioles 8-1 Wednesday, powered by Wilyer Abreu’s two-run homer and three RBIs.
For six scoreless innings, Payton Tolle took the game out of the Orioles’ hands. By the time Baltimore finally got on the board, the Red Sox had already turned the middle innings into a rout.
Wilyer Abreu sparked the early separation with a two-run home run and three RBIs as Boston beat Baltimore 8-1 on Wednesday. The Red Sox poured on offense again in the fifth, scoring five runs to build an advantage that never felt in doubt.
Boston’s bats started clicking from the first inning. Jarren Duran led off with a single to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, and Abreu drove him in to put the Sox ahead 1-0. Abreu then made it 3-0 with a two-run homer in the third.
Payton Tolle (3-2) held the Orioles to nothing through his first stretch of work. He allowed seven hits, struck out five, walked two, and lowered his ERA to 2.28. In his career, Tolle has allowed less than four runs in nine of his 10 starts.
The Red Sox made the gap wider in the fifth inning, beginning with Mickey Gasper’s two-run triple as part of a five-run surge. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Caleb Durbin, and Ceddanne Rafaela each drove in one run in the frame.
Rafaela finished with three hits for Boston, and Ceddanne Rafaela was one of multiple contributors in a lineup where every spot had at least one hit. Willson Contreras added two singles and a double.
Baltimore got its only run production in the seventh when Adley Rutschman hit an RBI triple. Still, Boston kept control of the rest of the day. Chris Bassitt (4-4) allowed six hits and three runs in three innings for the Orioles, and Taylor Ward had three singles.
Ryan Watson then closed it out, earning his first career save with two strikeouts and one run allowed in three innings.
Boston’s win followed another recent offensive stretch: the Red Sox have scored five or more runs in six of their last nine games, and they’d recently endured a spell in which they went 11 straight games without scoring more than four runs.
The teams meet again in the rubber match next, with Trevor Rogers (2-6, 6.84) scheduled to pitch for Baltimore. Boston has not announced its starter.
Boston Red Sox Baltimore Orioles Payton Tolle Wilyer Abreu Mickey Gasper Ceddanne Rafaela Adley Rutschman Ryan Watson Trevor Rogers
Tolle shut them down?? Orioles just fell apart. 8-1 is wild.
I swear the Orioles only score like once every other game now. That one RBI triple and then nothing… seems like Boston just had all the luck. Also why is the Red Sox offense always hot when I’m not watching?
Wait, so Duran led off with a single and that started the whole streak? I thought the run support was supposed to be from the pitcher lol. Anywho, Abreu homer in the third is probably why everyone kept saying “rout” like early. Seems like Trevor Rogers is gonna get wrecked in the next one too.
The fifth inning was the dagger, like 5 runs and then it was over. But also Orioles get a run in the seventh and everyone acts like it doesn’t count? Chris Bassitt only lasted 3 innings, so I’m guessing he couldn’t find the zone. Man I just want the Orioles to do something besides hit one triple and call it a day.