Josh Beckett allowed one run and two hits while pitching four innings during a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Pawtucket at Pawtucket, R.I.

Beckett didn’t issue any walks and struck out four against Syracuse, throwing 42 of 68 pitches for strikes. He topped out at 96 miles per hour on the McCoy Stadium radar gun.

Beckett declined to speak to the media, but Pawtucket pitching coach Rich Sauveur said that he asked Beckett after every inning how he felt and the response was always positive.

“You look to make sure he’s getting out over the front side and being able to stretch his back,” Sauveur said. “I saw no problems today. He felt good.”

Syracuse’s Kevin Mench lined a 1-2 pitch to center for a second-inning single, and Jason Botts pulled a 1-2 fastball into the right-center field seats for a homer in the fourth.

Beckett’s most difficult at-bat came in the third, when Boomer Whiting fouled off five pitches with a full count before flying out to center.

Beckett skipped a start in early May with back spasms and aggravated the injury May 19 while pitching on a wet mound at Yankee Stadium. Because the injury forced him to alter his mechanics during a bullpen session June 2, Boston shut him down.

“As long as he stays healthy, he should be throwing again in five or six days,” Sauveur said.