--CF Mark Kotsay went 1-for-4 Thursday, leaving him 3-for-11 in three games on his rehab assignment with Class AA Mississippi. He'll be playing there over the weekend while the Braves are in Toronto.
--INF Martin Prado began his rehab assignment with Class AA Mississippi, going 0-for-4 Thursday. He has been out since early May with a sprained left thumb. --INF Omar Infante is as puzzled as anyone over why he strained his right hamstring approaching first base on a double in the second inning Wednesday. He wanted to stay in the game, but when manager Bobby Cox asked him to touch his toes, the quad grabbed him, and Cox took him out immediately. The training staff is optimistic this won't be too bad, unless bleeding develops.
--OF Matt Diaz has been cleared by team doctors to begin running, and he will be fitted with a custom knee brace that will allow him to resume baseball-related activities. Diaz has been on the disabled list since May 28 with a strained posterior cruciate ligament in left knee.
--LHP Mike Hampton will need four or five starts, manager Bobby Cox estimated, before joining the team. He has pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in two appearances in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, and he will work his way up the minor league ladder. Hampton has been sidelined all season with a strained left pectoral muscle. Hampton's nine outs Wednesday included two strikeouts and seven ground balls, which is his game.
BY THE NUMBERS: 32 -- Consecutive save opportunities Mike Gonzalez has converted, the longest streak in the majors, according to Elias Sports Bureau. He has not blown a save since June 25, 2004, when he was a middle reliever in just his 30th career game.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We can peck away. By All-Star break, we want to get closer than we are right now, so we need to win." -- Manager Bobby Cox.
