Braves Soriano, McLouth, Prado ailing

By Carroll Rogers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves closer Rafael Soriano was not available to pitch Saturday because of some soreness in his right shoulder.

Soriano, who gave up the game-winning home run to Ryan Howard on Friday night, said he thought he would be ready to pitch again Sunday in the finale of the Phillies series.

“I think tomorrow will be fine,” Soriano said before Saturday’s game.

Mike Gonzalez, who has been used as a setup man for Soriano the past two months, was prepared to pitch the ninth for a few days, if needed.

“He’s thrown a lot,” Gonzalez said of Soriano. “You’ve seen the miles he’s put on already, especially coming off that elbow surgery. He’s done really well. I think it’s going to be a couple of days. It’ll be a good blow for him. So he’ll be ready for that September run.”

Peter Moylan pitched the ninth Saturday, needing only eight pitches for a scoreless inning. Kris Medlen was warming up to pitch in extra innings.

Soriano, who had ulnar-nerve transposition surgery Aug. 28, has pitched in 53 games with a 2.55 ERA and has converted 17 of 20 save opportunities. But in his past eight outings Soriano is 0-3, with a 9.95 ERA and two blown saves while giving up three game-winning home runs.

He did not use the pain in the back of his shoulder as an excuse for his problems of late, which included walk-off home runs by Ross Gload and Andre Ethier. When asked if his recent struggles had something to do with his shoulder, Soriano said no.

His velocity was good Friday night, when he hit 95 mph with his fastball. It was a 2-1 slider to Howard that cost him the game-winning home run in a 3-2 loss.

Soriano, who had asked for time off against the Nationals as well, hadn’t pitched in five days before Friday night.

“He’s throwing 95 every pitch, just about,” manager Bobby Cox said.

McLouth, Prado updates

● Center fielder Nate McLouth tried to play the past two games on a sore left hamstring, and by the fifth inning Saturday, Cox wasn’t convinced. Cox took McLouth out of the game and will have him rest it for a few days.

“We’re not going to disable him, but it sure slowed him down,” Cox said. “It was very noticeable today, more than last night even. He didn’t want to come out today. He said he could play that way, but he’s a center fielder and he’s limping, so face the facts. We’ll wait three or four days and see if it doesn’t get better.”

McLouth left last Saturday’s game in Los Angeles after aggravating an old hamstring injury and missed three games leading into the Phillies series. The same hamstring cost him five games in late June.

● Martin Prado had to leave Saturday’s game with heat-related symptoms after his head started to hurt following a swing in the fifth inning.

“I didn’t drink a lot of fluid before the game,” Prado said. “I had an energy drink. I got a headache after that swing, and I started feeling dizzy.”

Prado still had a headache after the game but said he expected to be fine for tonight’s game. He’s been instructed to drink lots of fluid and lay off the caffeinated energy drinks on hot days.

Hudson’s schedule

Tim Hudson reported no problems with his hamstring after his four-inning outing Thursday night at Class AAA Gwinnett. He is slated to pitch Tuesday with Gwinnett in Norfolk, Va. as he continues his minor-league rehabilitation from elbow surgery.

Hudson needs three more starts to build up to 90 pitches. He expects to start again in Gwinnett on Sunday and again the following Friday.