BOSTON — Red Sox ace Chris Sale joined Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax as the only pitchers on record with three immaculate innings when he struck out the side against Minnesota on nine pitches Thursday night.

Sale was making his third start for Boston since returning from Tommy John surgery that also sidelined him for the entire 2020 season.

He struck out Nick Gordon, Andrelton Simmons and Rob Refsnyder on three pitches each. Refsnyder was fooled badly by a slider in the dirt.