Just a brief update since bodies appeared to be falling at an alarming rate here in Atlanta Friday night.

--- J.A. Happ, who was taken out of the game after 51 pitches/three innings, is completely fine. He was a little perturbed he was taken out of game, but also seemed to be smart enough to understand the team's reasoning.

Happ had missed two straight starts with a rib cage injury. The Phils top two bullpen lefties, J.C. Romero and Scott Eyre, are injured and there's no telling when they'll be back.

"I think that’s what they’re thinking,” Happ said. “Like I said, I’m just looking forward to the next time, going deeper. I felt like I could keep going; but it’s OK, too."


--- Carlos Ruiz was on the receiving end of the perfect, one-hop throw to home from Raul Ibanez that ended the Braves scoring chance in the second inning on a play at the plate. He left the game four innings later with an injured left wrist.

Good news from Charlie Manuel: the X-ray was negative; no broken bones.

"I don't think it's going to keep him out very long," Manuel said.


--- Ryan Howard, who hit two home runs in his previous two at-bats, was drilled with a fastball in the right forearm in the eighth inning. He was hit in the same exact spot Thursday.

Although he received treatment for it afterward, he never came out of the game. Charlie said the big man is just fine.

"He ain’t dead by a long shot," Manuel said. "If I had arms that big, a baseball wouldn’t hurt me."



The mounting injuries (every reliever except Ryan Madson has been hurt at some point) and illnesses (Shane Victorino sat out with a stomach bug) appear to have no end.

"What’d I tell you yesterday about getting hurt?" Manuel said, with a sly smile. "Don’t be getting hurt."