BOSTON — The Yankees at least spared themselves the infamy of having a perfect game thrown against them. 

They even mustered a run in the eighth inning. 

But that is where the list of positive developments ended for them on Friday night at Fenway Park. 

Red Sox lefty Payton Tolle dominated them across seven innings, allowing just one hit to Spencer Jones after retiring 16 straight to start the game, as the Yankees stumbled to a second straight loss by a score of 6-1. 

“Good pitcher executing, it can be a tough game sometimes,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So obviously just had a hard time to mount anything. But no issue with where our preparation and focus [were]. We just got beat tonight by him.” 

Tolle, who struck out 11 in six innings of one-run ball against the Yankees (48-33) in April, was even more untouchable on Friday night while striking out seven. Jones poked a single into center field off him with one out in the sixth, and Tolle later walked a pair in the seventh. But all three base runners proved harmless as he mowed down the Yankees, who have now lost six of their past nine. 

Payton Tolle reacts during his start against the Yankees on June 26, 2026. Getty Images

The Yankees began the season 18-6 against lefty starters but have now dropped four of their last five, including the first two games of this four-game set against the last-place Red Sox (34-46). 

“[Tolle] did a good job of filling up the zone, getting ahead in the count and then was able to do what he wanted to do with certain pitches,” said Jones, who was getting a rare start against a lefty. “Credit to him, he was able to execute and get out ahead.” 

New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren (29) exits the game in the sixth inning. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Anthony Volpe looks to turn a double play during the Yankees’ June 26 loss. AP Photo

Besides Tolle vying for a perfect game, the only real drama — if you can call it that — of the night came in the bottom of the fifth inning, when the benches cleared after Will Warren walked Willson Contreras. Ball four was up and in on Contreras, who essentially stands on top of the plate, and he flipped his bat before jogging down to first and jawing at Warren. 

Contreras, who had crushed a 418-foot homer off Warren earlier in the game, seemed to want to know why the Yankees pitcher was looking at him. After some talking back and forth, both teams left their dugouts and bullpens to crowd around first base with nothing more than words exchanged. 

“He said something, so I said something back,” Warren said. “I’m just trying to make a pitch.” 

Yankees players react during the ninth inning of their June 26 loss. AP Photo

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That only added to the frustration for Warren, who gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks across 5 ²/₃ innings. For the first time in his career, he did not record a single strikeout. 

Warren was consistently hit hard even on outs, as 10 of the 24 balls the Red Sox put in play against him came off the bat at 95 mph or higher. 

After a strong first two months of the season, Warren has had a rockier June, giving up 16 runs (12 earned) on 27 hits in 19 ²/₃ innings across four starts, with left-handed hitters in particular giving him some trouble during that stretch. 

“I’m not sure [why],” Warren said. “Just got to find a way to get them out. I’ve dealt with that in the minor leagues. The four-seam kind of changed that. Obviously they’re on it right now, but we’ll figure it out and move on.” 

After Tolle exited the game, the Yankees broke up the shutout against former teammate Tommy Kahnle in the eighth inning. Anthony Volpe led off with a double and eventually came in to score on Austin Wells’ groundout to erase the goose egg and save some face. 

“Obviously,” Boone said, “just a tough night for us offensively.”