When Boof Bonser last pitched during his first rehabilitation assignment with the Pawtucket Red Sox on April 13, he lasted only two innings and allowed nine earned runs in a 12-0 loss to Lehigh Valley.
He subsequently was placed on the disabled list by Boston because of pain in his right shoulder, but Bonser didn’t exhibit evidence of that problem Wednesday night in the first game of his second rehab assignment.
He pitched four innings of two-hit scoreless ball as Pawtucket beat the Gwinnett Braves, 6-0.
Gwinnett’s hits were accounted for by Gregor Blanco, who led the first inning by reaching on an infield roller, and Matt Young who singled in the second.
“I realized in April that there was some weakness in my shoulder and I had to pull back,” Bonser said. “I tried to be aggressive with my fastball tonight and not hold anything back.
“Basically, I felt good. I think I pitched four very clean innings.”
Bonser walked two, struck out two and topped out at 94 miles per hour on McCoy Stadium’s radar gun.
He threw 33 of 55 pitches for strikes and faced only three batters over the minimum.
“I felt like I was able to throw all four of my pitches for strikes,” Bonser said. “I was able to spot everything and felt like I was locked in.”
The closest Gwinnett came to scoring was in the first.
After Blanco reached on that infield hit, he stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. But Bonser retired the next two Braves on groundouts to end the threat.
“Anytime he started to get in a jam or lose his command, he got locked right back in,” catcher Dusty Brown said. “He couldn’t do that when he had discomfort.”