BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 7: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during a game against the Athletics on August 7, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty ImagesSome games answer questions. Tonight answered several.Payton Tolle went six innings against the As, struck out 14 batters, walked nobody, gave up two hits and one earned run on 84 pitches. The As were swinging at air from the first inning on. Henry Bolte struck out three times. Brian Serven struck out three times. Jonah Heim struck out twice. Tommy White struck out twice. Tyler Soderstrom hit a solo homer in the fifththe lone blemishand the As otherwise had absolutely nothing for Tolle all night. Fourteen strikeouts with zero walks in six innings on 84 pitches. At Fenway, in August, from a 22-year-old the front office and coaching staff has had to trust in such incredible situationsits a statement performance.Raymond Burgos followed with three perfect innings to close it out. Thirty-four pitches, no hits, nothing. Between the two of them, the Red Sox bullpen didnt throw a meaningful pitch. Chapman, Whitlock, Weissertall of them sat and watched. They threw every arm available the night before (genuinely, Tracey said if last nights bout went any longer, they might have needed to use a position player on the mound), and tonight, Tolle and Burgos handed them an extremely needed full night off.Meanwhile, the offense showed up early, put up crooked numbers, and didnt stop. Five in the second inning. Four more in the fourth. 9-0 through four frames against a depleted Athletics roster that was already missing Shea Langelierswho tore his meniscus before the trade deadline and is done for the seasonand Nick Kurtz, who reaggravated a right thumb capsule strain and is also on the IL. The As came to Fenway short-handed and left embarrassed. It felt like how the Sox were playing in May, which honestly makes me feel bad, but not too much to enjoy this Friday night victory.View LinkOn Langeliers, I cant have any regrets in getting Adley Rutschmanwho looks like he could start a rehab stint as early as this weekendor frankly Jake Rogers who showed up very well in his first Red Sox start. Thats gotta feel good for your first time with a new club to lead a game masterfully behind the dish and put up hits in the box.Back to tonight. Every starter in the Red Sox lineup collected at least one hit. Wilyer Abreu drove in three runs in two at-bats before being removedhopefully precautionary from his foul ball off his leg. Duran hit a homer. Yoshida drove in two. Monasterio kept his recent extra-base-hit tear going. Durbin drove in two. This lineup top to bottom put in a full shift.13-1. Tolle with 14 punchouts. Bullpen rested. This team is cooking.StudsPayton Tolle (6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 14 K)Fourteen strikeouts. Zero walks. Eighty-four pitches. Thats a signature Tolle start. His fastball was touching 98, his curveball was an incredible putaway pitch, he had a career high in strikeouts and swings and misses. Thats a start you remember as a youngster.Raymond Burgos (3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K)Three perfect innings on 34 pitches. After Tolles six, Burgos walked out and put up zeros until the final out. The Sox emptied the bullpen the night beforetonight, not a single one of those guys had to warm up. In a pennant race, thats worth a lot.Wilyer Abreu (2-for-2, 3 RBI, BB, 1 R)Three RBI in two at-bats before coming out early. Whatever happened, he left a mark before he left the game.The Whole LineupEvery starter got a hit. That doesnt happen every night and its worth saying out loud. Top to bottom, this offense showed up.DudsThe AthleticsHow many pitchers did they need to use? A position player pitching? Short-handed without Langeliers and Kurtz. Theres not much to dissectthey just got run out of Fenway.Play of the GameTake your pick from the fourteen strikeouts. The front office spent a week deciding whether to deal Tolle, and he went out and answered the question himself, one swing-and-miss at a time. Call it the fourteenth K if you want a specific moment. The whole performance was the play.View Link