Victor Martinez homered twice and Jon Lester outdueled David Price as the Boston Red Sox edged the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 Friday night.

Lester (14-8) allowed two hits and an unearned run over seven innings to notch the victory. He walked five but struck out 10. Jonathan Papelbon walked two batters in the ninth but struck out the side for his 33rd save.

Martinez hit solo homers in the first and the seventh innings. The first gave the Red Sox a lead they never relinquished.

The Red Sox made it 2-0 in the fourth inning on a two-out single by Jed Lowrie which brought home David Ortiz, who had doubled to open the inning.

The Rays trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth as Lester walked one batter and threw back-to-back wild pitches, the second of which scored Jason Bartlett from third base.

Tampa Bay nearly tied the game in the sixth inning but B.J. Upton was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on single by Bartlett.

Martinez then cracked his 12th homer of the season in the seventh inning to cap the scoring.

Price (15-6) scattered 10 hits over seven innings and struck out eight.