HOUSTON — Reds right-handers Elmer Dessens and Scott Sullivan both passed their throwing-session tests Saturday.

        Sullivan was so good, in fact, that the Reds activated him from the disabled list and sent reliever Luke Hudson to Triple-A Louisville. Sullivan will be available to pitch today against the Houston Astros.

        Dessens will start one of the games in Tuesday's doubleheader against the NL Central-leading St.Louis Cardinals at Cinergy Field.

        “I was really excited with Sully,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “We cut it short. We want him to be ready (for today).”

        Sullivan was on the DL with a sore shoulder. Today is the first day he's eligible to be activated.

        Sullivan said Saturday's 10:30 a.m.session wasn't as good as one he had Thursday in Phoenix. That was to be expected. The Reds didn't get to Houston until 3:15 a.m.Friday, and that night's game was followed by Saturday's day game.

        “It was early,” he said. “I think it was lack of sleep.”

        But that's not to say Sullivan wasn't happy with it.

        “The encouraging thing is that I didn't have any pain,” he said.

        Boone wanted Sullivan for today's game because of his success against Houston slugger Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell is 0-for-22 with seven strikeouts in his career against Sullivan.

        “That's always a factor,” Boone said.

        Bringing Sullivan back forced a roster move. Hudson walked four in one inning in his only appearance since being recalled from Louisville on Friday.

        Dessens, on the disabled list since Aug.6 with a strained groin muscle, threw two six-minute sessions.

        “It felt pretty good — better,” he said.

        Boone was most concerned about Dessens' confidence that the leg was sound.

        “The mental part is important,” Boone said. “He was

        real positive. If he feels good, that's the biggest thing.”

        Dessens' activation also will require a roster move. Right-hander Chris Reitsma is the likely candidate for demotion.

        Neither Reitsma nor Hudson will be down in Triple-A long. Both will be back with the Reds when the roster expands Sept.1.

        READY, BREAK! Ken Griffey Jr. was listed as the Reds' starter in left field Saturday, but he never played there.

        “I'm going to have them huddle in the middle and then go wherever they want,” Boone said.

        With Adam Dunn back in the Reds' lineup, Griffey playing left, as he did Friday, would have meant three players out of position: Dunn in right, Austin Kearns in center and Griffey in left. So Griffey played center, Dunn went to left and Kearns went to right.

        Griffey made a diving catch of Orlando Merced's fourth-inning fly ball, saving a run.

        “When they hit those bloopers with him out there, you don't even worry about it,” Reds closer Danny Graves said.

        FARM REPORT: Double-A Chattanooga right-hander David Gil pitched five innings of one-hit, one-run ball in Friday's 3-2 win over Mobile.

        Single-A Stockton right-hander Ryan Mottl ran his record to 12-6 with Friday's 7-3 victory over Rancho Cucamonga. Mottl allowed two runs on three hits in six innings of work. Mottl, 24, is 27-12 over the last two years.

        UP NEXT: The Reds conclude the season series with the Astros with a 2:35 p.m. game today. Reds right-hander Ryan Dempster (7-12, 5.78 ERA) faces Houston righty Kirk Saarloos (5-3, 6.52).

        The Reds are off Monday, then open a four-game series against the Cardinals with a doubleheader Tuesday at Cinergy Field. The first game starts at 5:10 p.m.

Reds 5, Astros 3 Reds Box, Runs Reds hurlers lick wounds, escape DL Dunn shakes slump Online with John Fay Reds chatter Cinergy countdown No. 12 Down on the farm For Whom the Tax Tolls Five questions with George Will Hall of Famer Wilhelm dies Texas paper to withhold baseball coverage Cubs 4, Diamondbacks 0 Phillies 4, Cardinals 0 Pirates 17, Brewers 10 Here comes da Fonz John Fay's MLB Power rankings Louisville 5, Indianapolis 1

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