On a five-game losing streak that matched their season long, and with a suddenly non-clutch offense and depleted bullpen, the Boston Red Sox badly needed the best version of Payton Tolle for Thursday’s series finale in Toronto.

The 23-year-old rookie southpaw more than delivered, as his eight shutout innings were a fitting celebration of International Left-Handers Day.

So did third baseman Caleb Durbin, who blasted the Boston bats awake with his second career grand slam (both in his last 10 games).

The sum of those parts was a 7-0 Red Sox victory to end the losing streak, stave off a sweep and end the season series with the Blue Jays on a high note.

Toronto put the leadoff man on in each of the first three innings, via two four-pitch walks and a single, but Tolle escaped damage each time with help from airtight infield defense. A pair of smooth double plays by Durbin, second baseman Nick Sogard and first baseman Willson Contreras erased Blue Jays baserunners in the second and third, respectively.

“Some great defensive efforts,” Tolle told reporters. “It was just a complete game from everybody.”

He was the model of efficiency thereafter, retiring the Blue Jays 1-2-3 on six pitches in the fourth, nine in the fifth, 15 in the sixth and 12 in the seventh. Tolle became the fifth Red Sox starter ever to complete seven scoreless innings on no more than 79 pitches, and the youngest of the group. He then returned for the eighth and extended his streak of retired batters to 17 with a 12-pitch, 1-2-3 final frame.

“A lot of early-count swings,” interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters. “We needed a deep start. We got a great, deep start. Needed a win, gave us a win. He was awesome.”

“I just try to do what I can on any given day,” Tolle said, “and was fortunate enough to have a deep one today.”

Fresh off striking out a career-high 14 batters last Friday, Tolle only struck out four on Thursday. But he held the home team to two walks and the only two hits they managed all game. He is the first major league starter younger than 24 to pitch at least eight shutout innings on 91 pitches or fewer since Sandy Alcantara on May 19, 2019, and the first in Red Sox history.

“Used ’em all up last time,” Tolle joked of the lopsided strikeout totals.

Even with velocity down on all four pitches, there were moments when 42-year-old Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer still looked like “Mad Max.” The fiery 19-year MLB veteran, who will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he retires, largely flummoxed the Red Sox in three 1-2-3 innings, and almost entirely escaped damage in the messier two.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first when Scherzer issued a two-out walk to Wilyer Abreu and gave up an RBI double to Contreras. Contreras is the eighth player to collect at least 24 home runs and 19 doubles in his first 111 games as a member of the Red Sox in a single season. He’s in elite company with J.D. Martinez (2018), David Ortiz (‘03), Manny Ramirez (‘01), Carl Everett (2000), George Scott (1977), Tony Conigliaro (‘64) and Jimmie Foxx (‘36).

It was all the Red Sox mustered against Scherzer, though. He allowed one earned run on three hits, walked two and struck out four in five innings, throwing 92 pitches (61 for strikes). Boston stranded four men on base, including bases-loaded in the fourth, during his start.

Ceddanne Rafaela’s leadoff single off righty Chase Lee was the beginning of a game-changing top of the eighth. Abreu followed with a single, Contreras’ sacrifice bunt advanced the pair to second and third and Lee intentionally walked designated hitter Masataka Yoshida to fill up the diamond.

The Red Sox had the tying run at the plate or on-base in the ninth inning of every game during their losing streak, but the big hit eluded them each time. Durbin didn’t wait for the ninth inning. He sent Lee’s 1-0 sweeper 384 feet to left at 99.7 mph for the second grand slam of his career, and in the last 10 games.

“Got to tip your cap to Willson on the bunt, that was on his own, it was awesome,” Tracy said. “Then when it happens and you see it unfold, and the infield’s in with Durb and you kind of like your chances, and then he hits a grand slam.

“But it’s fitting, I guess, a team baseball moment sparks the bats to come alive.”

Boston’s third baseman came back for more in the top of the ninth. Lazaro Estrada issued a leadoff walk to Sogard, plunked Rafaela, advanced them a base apiece with a wild pitch and loaded the bases with a walk to Abreu. The runners were forced to hold when Contreras lined out to shortstop Andrés Giménez, but Yoshida’s sacrifice fly scored Sogard and Durbin’s RBI single brought Rafaela home before Estrada struck out Jarren Duran to stem the tide.

Durbin’s contributions on both sides of the ball are especially impressive because they’re coming amid months of dealing with a dislocated and repeatedly jammed left pinky finger. On Thursday, he hit with a modified batting glove, the pinky fabric cut off to accommodate the swollen appendage. Durbin idolizes legendary Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who famously played 160 of 162 regular-season games in 2013 after tearing the UCL in his left thumb on Opening Day, only underwent surgery after the World Series parade that November, and won the Gold Glove, for good measure.

“I appreciate that, because I know he’s sore, but he’s playing with heart,” Contreras said of Durbin. “He’s refusing to come out of the game, and I’m the same way. I really appreciate that, and he’s playing with heart.”

The bottom of the ninth was Greg Weissert’s. The right-hander, recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Thursday morning when star setup man Garrett Whitlock went on the injured list with elbow inflammation, extended the streak of consecutive retired batters to 19 before a two-out walk to second baseman Ernie Clement.

That was the most Toronto threatened, though. Weissert blew Vladimir Guerrero Jr. away with a strikeout, and with him, the losing streak.

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