ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Boston Red Sox are 16-15 in one-run games this season, but John Farrell wants to see more like the 2-1 victory his team pulled out over the Rays on Tuesday.

"When you have to execute from the mound and defensively, late in games, with minimal margin for error, I think these are very good tests for us as we get this portion of the schedule, particularly on the road," Farrell said. "To come through as we have defensively, that's the key."

Boston (71-54) has won 10 of 12 -- including three one-run wins -- and will hope to continue that momentum in the third game of a four-games series at the Rays on Wednesday. The pitching matchup suggests it might not end up that close after all.

The Red Sox will start RHP Rick Porcello (17-3, 3.22 ERA), who is not only tied for the major league lead with 17 wins, but is coming in hotter than that. Boston has won 11 of his last 12 starts, and in his last five he's 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only four walks.

What's more, he's owned the Rays this season, going 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts against Tampa Bay, striking out 22 and walking four.

That's a stark contrast to Rays starter Matt Andriese, who has struggled since rejoining the Tampa Bay rotation after the trade deadline. The Rays have lost all four game he's started, and he's seen his ERA swell from 2.75 to 3.66 during that span.

Andriese opened the season 6-0 and pitched well when he was shifted to the bullpen, but hasn't regained his old form as a starter. He's stretched himself out to 96 pitches in his last outing but that hasn't translated to more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his starts.

The silver lining is that he's pitched well against Boston. He hasn't allowed a run in 9 2/3 innings covering three appearances, including a six-inning gem last year in his only start against the Red Sox in which he allowed one baserunner in a victory.

The Rays are 30-5 this season when holding opponents to two runs or fewer after Tuesday's setback, with starter Chris Archer lamenting that "every night's not going to be a flawless outing" after earning his major league leading 17th loss of the season.

The margin for error in a one-run game is so little, as Kevin Kiermaier learned when he was thrown out at third trying to make a double a triple with one out n the eighth inning. Instead of the tying run in scoring position, he was out and the Rays wouldn't get closer than first base the rest of the night.

"Just kind of in shock over there at third base, how I got thrown out," Kiermaier said of Mookie Betts' assist from deep right field. "I watched the video after the game, and saw he made an absolutely perfect throw. I always want to put pressure on defense, and it's going to take a perfect throw to throw me out. I would not change anything. I'd do it again. I tip my hat to him."