Cody Ross wore nothing more than a large adhesive bandage on his left wrist, but the slow way he moved it Sunday offered all the explanation as to his availability -- not just for Sunday but perhaps longer in the Marlins' playoff chase.

``It's hard for me to turn my hand over,'' Ross said a couple hours before Florida's 4-0 loss, rotating his swollen wrist from palm down to palm up.

Though X-rays showed no break from the John Maine fastball that caromed off Ross' wrist Saturday evening, the swelling was more painful after a night's sleep.

``Obviously it's day-to-day,'' Ross said. ``We'll just see how it goes. I think Hanley [Ramirez] had the same kind, and it kept him out for a while.''

Ramirez wound up missing four games from April 28-May 1 with his bruised wrist -- also the result of a Maine fastball that ran inside.

By that timetable, Ross also would miss all of the Marlins' three-game series that begins Monday in Atlanta.

For a club still scratching to remain in the wild-card race, every game is crucial.

``I don't want to be done,'' Ross said. ``I want to help us win some more games, but right now it's not good.''

First baseman Nick Johnson, meanwhile, stayed home for another day as he recovers from a tough flu bout.

Though Jorge Cantu, John Baker and Brett Hayes also were under the weather Saturday night, all were available to play Sunday.

SAVE NO BIG DEAL FOR DONNELLY

Though it had been a couple days short of six years between saves for Brendan Donnelly, the veteran reliever gained no extra satisfaction from recording the final out of Saturday night's victory.

``You pick one up every so often when the primary closer is overworked,'' said Donnelly, whose appearance lasted just four pitches. ``I'm a reliever, not a closer. That's it. . . . It's one out to win a game.''

With closer Leo Nuņez having thrown 23 pitches one night earlier, the Marlins preferred to give him an evening's rest.

Donnelly's last previous save had come Sept. 28, 2003, when he closed out an Angels' victory over Texas.