Chipper Jones is still a day or two from returning to the lineup with his sore right quadriceps, and Yunel Escobar was out Saturday with a strained right hip flexor, so the Braves called up Brent Lillibridge from Class AAA Richmond.

With Omar Infante and Ruben Gotay in the lineup at third base and shortstop, respectively, the Braves needed another backup infielder.

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Brent Lillibridge, who can play third or shortstop, made his major-league debut in April, going 0-for-8 with one RBI and three strikeouts in two games for the Braves.

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The Braves sent left-handed reliever Jeff Ridgway to Richmond and will carry 12 pitchers again.

"We don't have anybody else that can play the infield; we've got to," manager Bobby Cox said. "It was nice to carry the 13 pitchers, but we've got two off days coming. We should be OK."

Jones sent word through the Braves media-relations staff that his quadriceps was the same and he still expected to miss a couple of games. He injured it in early April and aggravated it June 7 and again Friday night.

"It's never going to go away, I don't think," said Cox, who said Jones and Escobar might be available to pinch hit Saturday. "From time to time it grabs him, and he needs a few days off. We're going to do that and see how he does."

Escobar thought he could play Saturday, but Cox gave him one more day to rest. He should return to the lineup Sunday.

Lillibridge, who can play third or shortstop, made his major-league debut in April, going 0-for-8 with one RBI and three strikeouts in two games.

He was hitting only .207 through 54 games for Richmond but said he has sorted through some things with Richmond hitting coach Chris Chambliss. He's coming off back-to-back three-hit games against Syracuse.

"I was really jumping at the ball which wasn't allowing me to hit anything other than a fastball right down the middle," said Lillibridge, who grew up a Mariners fan in Everett, Wash. "[Now I'm] getting into a good solid base and really being quiet, keeping my hands down, so I'm able to handle all kind of pitches. And it's seeing the ball all the way through, so I can react to 95 or 75 mph changeup."

In other iInjuries ...

Mark Kotsay took live batting practice Saturday without any problems with his back, a first since he has been on the DL with a bulging disc. He is running, throwing and doing everything but diving and sliding, he said. He's eyeing a return to either the Braves or a minor-league rehabilitation assignment in a week. ... Mike Hampton threw 30 pitches in three innings without incident for the Gulf Coast Braves on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out two. He will pitch again Wednesday, and if all goes well, he will continue to work his way through the higher minor-league levels. He has to work up to 90 pitches without any problems with his pectoral muscle before he can return to the majors.