Cincy's Bailey cruises in rehab start

Reds right-hander Homer Bailey could return to the Great American Ball Park next week after cruising through his second straight Triple-A rehab start.

The 25-year-old scattered three hits and struck out six over 5 1/3 innings in the Louisville Bats' 9-0 shutout of the Toledo Mud Hens on Sunday. He had been scheduled to pitch earlier in the week, but his outing was pushed back because of arm fatigue.

"We'll know tomorrow or the next day if he feels anything," Reds manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com. "That's way positive, right there. ... We'll see how he feels."

Bailey, who threw 48 of his 72 pitches for strikes, issued one walk -- to Scott Sizemore in the first inning -- and did not allow a baserunner to reach third.

The right-hander faced one batter above the minimum through the first three frames before Sizemore led off the fourth with a double to right field. It gave Toledo its first runner in scoring position, but Bailey retired the next three batters to escape unscathed.

In the fifth, Cale Iorg singled and stole second base, but John Murrian struck out to end the inning. Bailey, rehabbing a right shoulder injury that occurred during Spring Training, pitched to one batter -- Andy Dirks -- in the sixth before being replaced by Jeremy Horst.

In his first International League start on April 17, Bailey threw 62 pitches over five scoreless frames against Indianapolis.

Bailey is eligible to come off the disabled list immediately, and he could rejoin the Reds for their series at home against Florida on Friday.