--Atlanta picked up its 50th loss of the season on Friday and will enter the break with a sub-.500 record for only the third time over the past 18 years. It is the first time that the Braves (43-50) will go to the break with 50 losses since the 1989 club entered the break with a 36-51 record.
--The Braves have dropped three of four on their six-game road trip. Atlanta has mustered just one run and hit a miniscule .122 in its three road losses on its current West coast swing. --SS Yunel Escobar was a late scratch from the Atlanta lineup on Friday when Atlanta's No. 2 hitter's left shoulder started hurting once again. Escobar, who had a cortisone shot on the injured limb during Atlanta's last homestand, will not play in the Braves' final two games before the All-Star Break.
--The Braves announced that LHP Mike Hampton will make one more rehab start before rejoining the club after the All-Star break. The 35-year-old Hampton, who has not pitched in the majors since the 2005 campaign, will make a start for either Class AA Mississippi or Class A Rome next Wednesday. If all goes well, Hampton may make his long-awaited 2008 debut on July 21 at Florida.
--All-Star C Brian McCann collected three hits in four at-bats on Friday and is batting .357 (5-for-14) on the road trip.
BY THE NUMBERS: 47 -- Innings between the Braves' lead in a game, from June 27 to July 4.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "This wasn't punitive in nature. We don't even really look at it as a demotion. We look at it as stepping back for a few days and decompressing and getting his game going." -- General manager Frank Wren, on optioning RF Jeff Francoeur to Class AA Mississippi to work on his swing.
