(My Sportsbook) - Dominican-born right-hander Felipe Paulino makes his first major-league appearance since 2007 today when the Houston Astros host the Cincinnati Reds in the third meeting of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park.

A 6-foot-2, 180-pounder, Paulino was out for nearly all of 2008 with shoulder problems, making a single start for the Astros' Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock.

He made three starts in five appearances for Houston in 2007, going 2-1 with a 7.11 earned run average after allowing 22 hits and 15 runs in 19 innings.

Paulino, who walked seven and struck out 11 in his initial major-league stint, gets the start in place of injured teammate Brian Moehler and could become a main competitor for the No. 5 starting slot now occupied by veteran Russ Ortiz.

He faced the Reds once in 2007 and picked up a win in spite of allowing eight hits and five runs in five innings.

For Cincinnati, 2008 ace Edinson Volquez makes his third start of a thus-far shaky 2009.

A 25-year-old right-hander, Volquez was 17-6 in 33 games last season after coming over from Texas in a deal that sent outfielder Josh Hamilton to the Rangers.

He opened this season by giving up six hits and four earned runs in a 9-7 loss to the New York Mets, then earned a mediocre 7-6 defeat of Milwaukee after allowing seven hits and six runs in five innings.

Volquez faced the Astros twice last season and won both times, surrendering just 12 hits and two earned runs in 13 2/3 innings, while walking two batters and striking out 14.

On Saturday, Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven scoreless innings and tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts, as the Astros crushed the Reds, 7-0.

Rodriguez (1-1) allowed only two hits and two walks for the Astros, who squandered a ninth-inning lead in Friday's loss to the Reds. Carlos Lee went 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI, and Geoff Blum also had three hits and drove in three runs in the win.

Houston pitchers faced only 30 batters, three above the minimum.

Jerry Hairston and Joey Votto had a hit apiece for the Reds, who split the first 10 games of their young season.

Cincinnati never had a runner reach third base in the game, and Aaron Harang (1-2) took the loss after yielding five runs on 10 hits and a walk in six-plus innings, with six strikeouts.