If everything proceeds smoothly — and that's a Mark McGwire-sized if — Pete Harnisch will return to the starting rotation on June29, when the Reds finish this 10-game homestand, against the St. Louis Cardinals.

        “Hopefully we'll get Pete ready for one of the Cardinal games,” manager Jack McKeon said Tuesday after Harnisch threw 80 pitches to Alex Ochoa in batting practice. “Right now we're tentatively looking at the last one.”

        Though Harnisch wasn't sure how his timetable would unfold, he agreed McKeon's estimate made sense: “I don't expect (the layoff) to go on past that.”

        McKeon hopes Harnisch is right.

        “It would be a big difference to get him back,” McKeon said. “He's our No.1 guy. We'd like to have the real Pete. It would be a big lift. I think the other guys feed off of him.”

        Harnisch was cautiously optimistic after pitching the equivalent of four long innings: “Today was a good step because I took some breaks and threw four pretty long innings ... that's pretty taxing.”

        Today could be crucial, since the condition of Harnisch's shoulder will demonstrate his physical resilience. Then the Reds will be able to schedule his next tuneup.

        Harnisch was encouraged by the improvement he displayed since his 60-pitch exercise in San Diego last Friday, when he struggled to find the strike zone. “My command (Tuesday) was night and day from then. That's a good thing,” he said.

        Asked how his shoulder felt, Harnisch said, “There's no doubt in my mind it's stronger. With all the work we've done, it can't help but get stronger ... The bats are going to tell me, one way or the other.”

        Ochoa, the lone hitter Harnisch faced, was impressed.

        “His ball was moving,” Ochoa said of Harnisch, who threw his entire assortment of pitches. “He was keeping the ball down and his velocity was good. His slider was nasty. He was throwing everything pretty well.”

        PARRIS PUSHED BACK: Instead of dropping Steve Parris from the starting rotation, as he hinted last Friday he might do, McKeon moved the right-hander's turn back a day. Combined with Monday's off day, Parris will have a full week's rest when he pitches in Friday's series opener against San Diego.

        Though Parris has allowed 11 earned runs in nine innings spanning his last two starts, the Reds lack any viable alternatives in the bullpen or minor leagues.

        “We don't have much choice,” McKeon said. “We just hope giving Parris the extra day might help.”

        Ron Villone, originally slated to pitch Friday, will work Thursday instead, in the Colorado finale. Rookie right-hander Rob Bell will take his regular turn Saturday against San Diego.

        LARKIN MILESTONE: Barry Larkin's first-inning run gave him 1,091 for his career, which matched Johnny Bench for second on the Reds' all-time list. Pete Rose ranks first with 1,741 runs.

        Larkin nearly passed Bench in the next inning. He launched a drive to deep left-center field that appeared destined to be a home run. But Colorado's Tom Goodwin leaped at least a foot above the wall to snare the hit.

        TIME CHANGE: Tonight's first pitch has been moved from 7:35 p.m. to 7:05 p.m. to accommodate ESPN's telecast.

        UP NEXT: No matter how high tonight's temperature climbs, Denny Neagle should feel comfortable. Neagle (5-2) endured 103-degree heat in his most recent outing, last Wednesday at San Francisco, allowing five runs (four earned) in six innings and absorbing the decision in a 6-2 loss.

        Neagle will face right-hander Rolando Arrojo (4-5), who beat the Reds on April 10 while yielding two runs and six hits in six innings in Colorado's 7-5 victory.

Reds 3, Rockies 2 Box, runs Bell fuels Rockies' rise Ex-Reds help Rockies soar Reds notebook SULLIVAN: Reds

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