ST PETERBURG, Florida (Reuters) - Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester won a pitchers' duel against David Price to lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a vital 3-1 victory on Friday.
The win allowed the Red Sox to move to within 4- games of the Rays in the tight American League East race.
The Rays had entered the game tied with the New York Yankees for the division lead with the Bronx Bombers in action against the Chicago White Sox later in the day.
Lester allowed just two hits and one unearned run in seven innings while striking out 10 batters, despite walking five batters and throwing three wild pitches, to earn his 14th win of the season.
Price allowed three runs on 10 hits while striking eight, also in seven innings.
Victor Martinez powered the Red Sox offense with two solo home runs while the teams exchanged runs in the fourth inning.
(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario; Editing by John O'Brien)
