The Atlanta Braves have an explanation for why Terry Pendleton left the field in the middle of a game: He snapped.

They also have a bit of advice for him: Don't ever do it again.The Braves met with Pendleton on Thursday, a day after he left the field in anger during an inning, and made it clear they weren't happy that he went AWOL.

Manager Bobby Cox said Pendleton had been disciplined but not suspended - meaning he's gotten a fine - for his actions Wednesday night during a game against the Cincinnati Reds.

Although Pendleton wasn't talking about it again Thursday, Cox said the third baseman realizes he was wrong.

"It's something he regrets. He won't do it again," Cox said.

Pendleton was back in the starting lineup Thursday and went 0 for 4 in a 5-4 loss to the Reds.

It was a big surprise when the third baseman left his position during the seventh inning of a 4-0 loss to the Reds, reportedly because he was angry his pitchers weren't retaliating for Deion Sanders getting hit.

Cox pointed out the Braves haven't had trouble with Pendleton, who played in 160 games last year, starting the first 117 despite leg problems. He has missed only one of the Braves' games this season.

"It's very unusual that Terry would do anything like this," Cox said. "He's such a first-class person. He's a great kid. But everybody snaps once in a while. That was his time."

The timing was peculiar.

Reliever Marvin Freeman had just thrown a first-pitch strike to Tim Belcher, who was working on a one-hitter, when Pendleton headed for the dugout and down the tunnel to the clubhouse. It took the stunned Braves a second to send out a replacement, Bill Pecota.

Pendleton reportedly was angry over the progression of close pitches. Braves starter Greg Maddux threw a high, inside pitch to Chris Sabo in the sixth, and Belcher hit Sanders - who had a double for Atlanta's only hit - in the lower back in the top of the seventh.

Both Sanders and Cox said they didn't think Belcher was trying to hit anyone. But Pendleton took off for the clubhouse when the Braves didn't retaliate in the bottom of the inning.

"It's something you just don't tolerate, no matter what the situation," Cox said. "You never walk off the field."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted several unnamed Braves as saying Pendleton is upset with the reaction some players had to the return of Sanders after his three-week walkout in protest of a lack of playing time.

Sanders' return and his pending three-year, $11 million contract have elicited some private grumblings in the clubhouse. Pendleton is concerned about what he perceived as a lack of respect for Sanders, the newspaper quoted players as saying.

Pendleton, looked to by many as the unofficial team captain, showed up earlier than usual at the clubhouse Thursday and spoke with almost every player and coach one-on-one.

One of the players was Freeman, who told the newspaper it was not out of disrespect for Sanders that he failed to retaliate. He had said earlier no one had ordered him to hit a Red.

"I wanted to clear the air with Terry and we did that," said Freeman. " . . . He realizes that if I have to knock somebody on his butt, I'll do it. . . . I would protect any player on this club."