Darwinzon Hernandez was strong in his first rehab outing with Triple-A Worcester Tuesday evening, throwing a scoreless eighth inning in the WooSox’s 5-4 win over the Iron Pigs Tuesday evening.

Hernandez, 24, suffered a right oblique injury in July that’s had him out for roughly two months now. The southpaw has a 3.44 ERA this season with Boston, and has been one of the Sox’s best arms out of the ‘pen as he’s slated a 4.32 xFIP and a 4.38 SIERA across 41 outings (34 innings) this season.

Facing the very top of Lehigh Valley’s order, Hernandez retired the leadoff hitter, Logan Moore, on a flyout. He then struck out Adam Haseley on five pitches, but he walked the No. 3 hitter, Matt Joyce, on a full count. Joyce has a walk rate of 15% in the majors since 2016.

He was able to retire the top half of the eighth after 16 pitches, as Jorge Bonifacio flied out to notch the third out of the inning.

Hernandez will likely pitch another inning tomorrow. No timetable has been set on his return to the Red Sox.

(Photo of Darwinzon Hernandez by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)