Chipper Jones could return to lineup Thursday

Miami — Chipper Jones missed his second consecutive game Wednesday with an ailing right knee, but he thinks he could be back in the lineup as soon as today against Washington.

“It’s going to be a day or two,” Jones said Wednesday morning. “I don’t see any reason why I couldn’t be back in there tomorrow or the next day, hopefully tomorrow.”

Jones woke up Wednesday with some stiffness in the knee, after injuring it fielding a ground ball Tuesday during batting practice.

“I feel like I’ve got a little fluid today in my knee,” Jones said.

Jones has played in 110 games this year. With 21 to go, he’s not going to reach his 2007 total of 134 games played. But he should finish well ahead of 2005 and 2006 when he played in 109 and 110 games, respectively.

Jones has missed 30 games this season with quadriceps and hamstring problems, back spasms and now the knee, with a couple off days mixed in. A sore quadriceps kept him out nine games in June and a strained hamstring landed him on the disabled list in late July.

What is not in jeopardy are his chances to qualify for a batting title. He needs 30 plate appearances in the last 21 games to qualify.

But winning it might be in jeopardy now. Albert Pujols of the Cardinals has hit at a .491 clip (28-for-57) since Aug. 15 to move past Jones in the NL batting race. Pujols was leading .361 to .358 heading into Wednesday. Pujols has two three-hit games and one four-hit games in that 15-game stretch.

Jones has hit a “pedestrian” .305 (18-for-59) since Aug. 15.

“I’m not really concerned about it,” Jones said. “That guy keeps going the way he’s going, there’s no catching him. Quite frankly, that old adage, ‘Would you rather start off a house of fire or finish a house of fire,’ I was the guy who started it off and you couldn’t get me out for the first three months of the season. I’ve cooled off and he’s the guy who’s unconscious right now.”

Not that he’s conceding, but Jones knows nothing comes easy if he is to win his first batting title. “We couldn’t get him out, so I don’t expect anybody else to on a consistent basis,” Jones said. “Guy is just too good.”

Escobar re-injures left shoulder

Yunel Escobar had to come out of Wednesday’s game when he aggravated his left shoulder, the same shoulder he missed seven games with in late July after jamming it sliding into base.

The Braves listed him as day-to-day, indicated he could be back in the lineup soon. But with Brent Lillibridge up on the expanded roster, Escobar could take a few days to rest.

Escobar stumbled out of the box on a base hit in the fourth inning, and put his hands down to regain his balance. Escobar was removed for pinch runner Lillibridge.

He said he pinched his shoulder coming out of the batter’s box.

“It’s so-so,” he said. “Maybe play tomorrow.”

It was a rough day all around for Escobar, who grounded into a double play in the first inning to tie the Atlanta season record for double plays. He has hit into 24, matching Andruw Jones (2004) and Dale Murphy (1988).

Anderson’s first home run souvenir

Josh Anderson thought the ball in his locker with writing all over it was the ball from his first major league home run Tuesday against the Marlins. Gotcha.

It turns out that was a ball Braves relievers had marked up for a little fun with Anderson in celebration of his feat. The Braves clubhouse staff had secured the actual home run ball.

Written on the gift from his teammates? “Jeff Anderton. First MLB hit [hit had a slash through it] home run. Sept. 9, 2011. Off Warren Spahn. Way to go kid.”

Anderson said he’ll keep the joke ball and give the real one to his father as a gift.

Notable

Jo-Jo Reyes’ wife, Jamie, gave birth to a 7-pound, 6-ounce baby girl, Payton Brooklyn Reyes, at 10:57 a.m. Wednesday in Atlanta. Reyes had flown from Florida to be with his wife.