Lester blanks Catfish in rehab start

Photo: Billy Crowe / MLB.com

Boston Red Sox P Jon Lester pitched 4 shutout innings for the Greenville Drive (South Atlantic League, Class A) Tuesday, in his second rehab start.

Lester retired the first eight batters he faced, striking out five in a 3-0 victory over the Columbus Catfish.

This was Lester's second rehab start for the Drive as he attempts to return to Boston's rotation after an offseason of cancer treatments.

In his first start in Charleston on Thursday, Lester shut out the New York Yankees' affiliate, the Charleston RiverDogs, on two hits over four innings.

More: Boston Globe, MinorLeagueBaseball.com, Columbus Catfish

Lester is scheduled to make two more starts for Greenville before the next Red Sox evaluation.