GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cincinnati pitcher Edinson Volquez got tired during his first outing of the spring Thursday. Not his arm, that was fine. But it’s amazing Volquez didn’t nod off in the dugout after his recent schedule.

Volquez, the scheduled Opening Day starter, went 2 1/3 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in Thursday’s 7-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants. He walked two, struck out two and threw 60 pitches in his first outing of the spring because of visa problems that caused him to return to the Dominican Republic.

“I got a little tired,” he said. “My arm felt strong. But my body got a little tired.”

Volquez spent all of Wednesday traveling. He left the Dominican at 7:30 a.m., flew to New York and caught a flight to Phoenix, which arrived at 10:30 p.m.

“I was happy to be on the mound again,” he said.

In order to get there, Volquez had to deal with another dose of government bureaucracy in his quest to obtain his work visa. He flew Sunday to the Dominican for his Monday morning appointment. After that, he went to the U.S. Consulate.

“They said my visa wasn’t ready, so I left my passport,” Volquez said.

The call came Wednesday that the visa was ready.

“I was worried bad,” he said. “I was like, ‘I can’t wait anymore, I’ve got to get back to Arizona.’”

Volquez’s visa was held up because he failed a Major League Baseball drug test for performance-enhancing drugs and was suspended for 50 games in 2010. Volquez took and passed two drug tests — one by MLB, the other by the consulate — before leaving the Dominican the first time Feb. 16. He’s passed two more since arriving in camp.

Volquez will start a minor league game March 15, an off day. He’ll get two more starts before Opening Day.

“I think I’ll be OK,” he said. “I threw a little bit down there (in the Dominican) at the complex. When they told me Monday morning my visa wasn’t ready, I went to the complex.”

He thinks he’ll be fine going into the season.

“I’ve thrown so many bullpen sessions and simulated games,” he said. “I feel like I’m going to be ready.”

Volquez said he won’t have to go through this process in 2012.

“That’s what they say,” he said, spoken like a man who’s dealt with a lot of bureaucrats lately.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cincinnati Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez is going back to the Dominican Republic to obtain his work visa, hoping to a straighten out a problem that appears to stem from his performance-enhancing drug ban last year.

Volquez already has been picked to start on Opening Day for the NL Central champions.

The 27-year-old righty plans to be back in the Dominican this weekend and meet with U.S. government representatives Monday. He expects to rejoin the Reds at their Arizona camp on Tuesday.

Volquez only has a travel visa right now. He has not been allowed to pitch in any exhibition games for which admissions were charged. His ban last April for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug apparently has prevented him from getting the proper documentation.

Volquez has been allowed to work on the back fields and threw 50 pitches in live batting practice Wednesday. He will get four starts between now and Opening Day.

“When I get back, I’m going to jump right into a game,” Volquez said Thursday. “Four starts should be enough to get ready. When I come back, I’ll pitch four or five innings. The 50 pitches yesterday was about three innings.”

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

The Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a one- year deal with right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez, avoiding arbitration.

Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) – The Cincinnati Reds have agreed to a one- year deal with right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez, avoiding arbitration.

Volquez became the final arbitration-eligible Reds player to sign, according to the club’s Twitter account. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

The Dominican Republic native made 12 starts last season after making his debut in July. He missed the first several months of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and also served a 50-game suspension for a violation of the league’s drug policy.

He went 4-3 with a 4.31 earned-run average, and fanned 67 batters in 62 2/3 innings.

Over six years in the majors with Texas and Cincinnati, the 27-year-old has tallied a 28-22 record in 74 games (70 starts), with a 4.36 ERA and 375 strikeouts.

© 2011 The Sports Network