DAYTON — James Allen can’t remember ever starting a game before Tuesday — maybe once in high school, but that’s it.

That may be hard to believe considering Allen was drafted in the seventh round by the Reds last year, but he didn’t pitch until his senior year at Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Mo. Until he threw a couple of 90 mile-per-hour fastballs the summer before his senior year, he played shortstop exclusively.

After a stellar career in the bullpen at Kansas State, Allen is getting his chance in the Dayton Dragons’ rotation. He allowed three runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts in five innings of a 5-1 loss at Bowling Green on Tuesday.

“I felt good the whole time,” Allen said. “I never got too tired. It’s a good starting point.”

It’s a big adjustment moving to the rotation. In the bullpen, he came to the park every day knowing he might have to pitch. He already got some advice from fellow starter Jacob Johnson on changing his weightlifting routine.

“I’m learning right now,” Allen said. “In a relief role, you’ve got to come down in the zone right away. Here you kind of get time to make adjustments, which is really good.”

Roster moves

Catcher/first baseman Danny Vicioso and starting pitcher Tanner Robles were promoted to Bakersfield on Wednesday.

Vicioso, who was hitting .234 in Dayton, started the season in Dayton, was promoted to Bakersfield in late May and then was shipped to Dayton for one game Sunday before being moved back to Bakersfield.

Robles (5-5, 4.45 ERA) had been with the Dragons since early in the 2011 season. It’s the first promotion to Bakersfield for the former Oregon State pitcher, a ninth-round pick in 2010.

“Tanner’s 23. He pitched here last year,” manager Delino DeShields said. “It was time for him to see if he can make the jump. He’s the oldest and most experienced guy (on the roster). He was the next guy.”

Right-handed pitcher Wes Mugarian was promoted from Billings. Mugarian, 20, was a fifth-round pick in the 2010 draft out of Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic High School. He was 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in three starts in Billings after returning from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip.

On TV

The next three Dragons games, all 7 p.m. starts at Fifth Third Field, will be televised on WHIO 7.2 and Time Warner channels 23 and 372.