DURHAM, N.C. -- The Richmond Braves return to The Diamond tonight seeking answers about the health of Atlanta left-hander Mike Hampton and an end to a mini-drought.

Hampton left his rehabilitation start a few pitches early in Richmond's 2-0 loss to homestanding Durham yesterday after experiencing irritation in his strained left pectoral muscle.

Hampton, 35, originally incurred the injury while warming up for his first start with Atlanta on April 3. He hadn't pitched since 2005 because of two elbow surgeries and other injuries.

Making his second rehab start with Richmond, Hampton surrendered a leadoff double to Dan Johnson in the fourth inning before getting Joel Guzman to fly out. He came off the mound after throwing his 71st pitch -- a first-pitch strike to Durham's Reid Brignac -- and left after being visited by R-Braves manager Dave Brundage and trainer Mike Graus.

Hampton was scheduled to throw 75 pitches.

"He was on his last hitter," Brundage said. "I don't know if it was fatigue or a little bit of irritation in the pec area. He was complaining that it was grabbing a little bit. We'll wait to see how it is tomorrow."

Hampton told The [Durham] Herald-Sun that he "didn't want to keep going and take any chances."

Whatever is wrong "is in my armpit. . . . When something you love gets taken away from you, it's tough to deal with. I felt good out there the first three innings. . . . We'll just have to re-evaluate [the pain] and see how it goes."

After pitching three scoreless innings in his first rehab start Friday, Hampton said the pectoral area ached. He was scheduled to make one more rehab start before joining Atlanta's rotation on May 10 at Pittsburgh.

Hampton allowed three hits, two walks, one run and struck out four before leaving yesterday. He threw 49 strikes.

"He threw the ball well," Brundage said. "He was in the zone, and he was using all of his pitches."

Richmond hitters, meanwhile, were shut out for the second straight game. Durham starter Mitch Talbot (eight innings) and Dale Thayer combined on a five-hitter.

Richmond starts a four-game series tonight (7 p.m.) with Louisville at The Diamond. -- Tim Pearrell

RICHMOND	DURHAM
	a	r	h	bi			a	r	h	bi
Andrsn cf	3	0	0	0		Perez rf	2	0	0	0
Hrnndz ss	4	0	1	0		Johnson 2b	3	0	0	0
Jones lf	3	0	1	0		Ruggno cf	2	1	1	0
Canizrs 1b	4	0	1	0		Richard 1b	4	0	1	0
Thrmn dh	4	0	0	0		Johnson dh	3	1	2	0
Brchrd rf	4	0	0	0		Guzman 3b	4	0	2	1
Fasano c	3	0	1	0		Brignac ss	3	0	0	1
Holt 2b	3	0	0	0		Rdrgz lf	4	0	1	0
Arnold 3b	3	0	1	0		DiFelice c	3	0	0	0
Totals	31	0	5	0		Totals	28	2	7	2

Richmond ------------------------- 000 000 000 -- 0 5 0
Durham ------------------------- 000 100 01x -- 2 7 0

DP -- Richmond 1. LOB -- Richmond 6, Durham 9. 2B -- Guzman (3), Johnson (1), Jones (7). SB -- Jones (2).

Richmond	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Hampton L 0-1	3.1	3	1	1	2	4
James	4.2	4	1	1	3	2
Durham
Talbot W 2-3	8	5	0	0	1	6
Thayer S 5	1	0	0	0	0	1

HBP -- Ruggiano (James).

Time -- 2:25. A -- 8,331.

TUESDAY

DP -- Durham 2. LOB -- Richmond 7, Durham 7. 2B -- Perez (4), Ruggiano 2 (4), Brignac (6). CS -- Guzman (1).

Richmond	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Reyes L 1-1	2	4	2	2	2	1
Bueno	4.1	5	2	2	2	6
Stockman	1.2	1	0	0	0	2
Durham
Mason W 1-3	5.2	6	0	0	2	8
DeBarr	2.1	0	0	0	1	0
Thayer	1	0	0	0	0	0

WP -- Bueno.

Time -- 2:29. A -- 4,211.