Playing before their 456th straight regular-season sellout crowd, a new major league record, the Red Sox closed within a half-game of the division lead for the first time since July 23.
Boston improved to 6-1 in its last seven games while Tampa Bay is 1-6 in that same stretch after losing its fourth straight. The Rays were shut out for the second consecutive day for the first time this year, having lost 1-0 at Toronto on Sunday.
They dropped to 0-7 at Fenway Park this season and could fall out of first place tonight in the second game of the three-game series. The teams wrap up their season series with three games at Tampa Bay starting next Monday.
Boston leads the majors with 14 shutouts.
Lester (14-5) matched his season high with nine strikeouts, accomplished in his no-hitter against Kansas City on May 19. He allowed six hits and three walks in 7 2/3 innings.
With two outs in the eighth, Lester gave up a single to Ben Zobrist and a ground-rule double to Carlos Pena, putting runners at second and third. Jonathan Papelbon came in and struck out Rocco Baldelli, who fanned in all four at-bats. Papelbon finished up for his 36th save in 40 opportunities.
Mark Kotsay, the first batter Rays pitcher Edwin Jackson faced, led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and then scored on a one-out double by David Ortiz. Ortiz scored on a single by Kevin Youkilis, who was thrown out in a rundown between first and second.
Bay followed with his sixth homer since being traded by Pittsburgh on July 31 and his 28th of the season.
