--3B Chipper Jones' sore right quad has improved to the point where it hurts only when he stretches, but that wasn't good enough to get him back in the lineup Friday, not even as the designated hitter.
--SS Yunel Escobar's jammed left shoulder is hampering his swing. He was replaced at shortstop by rookie Brent Lillibridge. --INF Omar Infante, who could have played either short or third in place of injured starters Yunel Escobar and Chipper Jones, respectively, is sidelined with a strained right hamstring.
--INF/OF Greg Norton got the assignment as the designated hitter once it was clear that 3B Chipper Jones' sore right quad wasn't strong enough for more than a single appearance. Norton was one of only two Braves to have faced Blue Jays starter Dustin McGowan; 1B Mark Teixeira is the other one. Norton got a hit; Teixeira drove in three runs.
--"Somebody's going to have to get well or we're going to have to disabled somebody," manager Bobby Cox said before Friday's game in Toronto. Cox figured the Braves could get by there because of the designated hitter, but with 3B Chipper Jones, SS Yunel Escobar and INF Omar Infante dealing with injuries, he is operating with an extremely short bench for this weekend's three-game series.
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.
