Santo Domingo.– Injured Braves closer Rafael Soriano is back home in the Dominican Republic for a few days for "personal reasons," general manager Frank Wren said. There was no further explanation.

It's been a frustrating season for the right-hander, who has spent all but two weeks of it on the disabled list for elbow problems that have perplexed him and the Braves.

He has had a battery of tests performed that have revealed no ligament or tendon tears. The diagnosis have been general: "tendinitis" or "elbow inflammation."

There has been no change in the past week in Soriano's status, manager Bobby Cox said, adding that Soriano was still sore when he threw. He's on his second DL stint of the season.

He has pitched in nine games and has a 2.00 ERA and three saves, with seven walks and 11 strikeouts. Seven different Braves have recorded at least one save this season, and none has more than three saves.

The Braves' 3.35 bullpen ERA was third in the league before Saturday, but its 13 saves (in 23 opportunities) was second-lowest in the majors. The Dodgers had 12 saves in 19 opportunities.

Soriano signed a two-year, $9 million contract in January, when the Braves avoided going to arbitration with him and also bought out what would have been his first year of free agency. Under tems of the contract, he'll make $6.1 million in 2009.