Dan Uggla leading in supporting role

Dan Uggla has just one home run this year, but it's arguably the biggest homer blasted for the Nationals all season. Staring at a puzzling 7-13 start and mired in a six-game losing streak, the Nats found themselves trailing by eight runs in Atlanta on April 28. But resilience took over, and so did some heavy bats as the Nationals chipped away at the Braves' seemingly insurmountable lead before Uggla finished off the historic comeback with a game-winning three-run homer in the ninth for the epic 13-12 win.

Before that game, the Nationals sat seven games back in the National League East. They return to Turner Field tonight holding a 2 1/2-game division lead, having gone 35-21 since Uggla's season-changing homer.

Uggla's role was altered significantly after the series in Atlanta. He was the Nationals second baseman on opening day and started 11 games in April. But over the last two months, the 35-year-old has found himself in the starting lineup only five times. Despite transitioning to a bench role for the first time in his career, the three-time All-Star hasn't complained.

"Just doing my routine every day," Uggla said. "Just getting my work in. Once the game comes or an at-bat comes, I know I've already done my work and I'm ready to go. I've been feeling good for a while now and it's nice to get some bats in a row and contribute a little bit."

Uggla went 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored while starting at second in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader. He's also been a valuable pinch-hitter for manager Matt Williams this season, hitting .308 (4-for-13) with a double, RBI and four walks when called upon.

"He's just a really smart baseball player and he's a pro," Ian Desmond said. "He's handling his business exactly like what I think the organization thought he would. But, yeah. He's just as important as anybody else on this team, for sure. And good for him to go out and get some knocks (on Sunday). That was big. I'm sure he needed that. Hopefully that steamrolls into the next opportunity."

Uggla was a longshot to make the Nationals roster when general manager Mike Rizzo extended an invite to spring training. From 2007-2011, Uggla became the first second baseman in Major League Baseball history to hit at least 30 home runs in five consecutive seasons. But his career took a nosedive from there as Uggla dealt with vision issues resulting from two separate plunking incidents. He surprised with a lively bat in Grapefruit League play, and with Anthony Rendon forced to start the season on the disabled list, Uggla found a spot.

"I'm happy to be here," Uggla said. "I love this group of guys. This organization has been pretty awesome to me since I've signed with them. I'm enjoying myself."

When the script is written on this season, Uggla may be one of the key factors who's not measured by statistics but rather veteran leadership behind the scenes.

"Dan's awesome," Desmond said. "He's like one of those guys that the numbers don't tell the whole story. He's a big part of this ballclub. A lot more than what people know. In the clubhouse kinda rallying guys. He's always picking guys up. He's always positive. He's got a lot of knowledge he's sharing with guys, especially the bench guys."

Uggla heads back to Turner Field where he played four years for the Braves, who released him last year but are still paying him the remainder $12 million he is due from his contract. During the series in late April, Uggla received heavy boos and responded by going 5-for-11 (.455) with two triples, eight RBIs and one enormous homer in his old stomping grounds.

With Rendon back on the DL and Yunel Escobar dealing with a left hand contusion, Uggla could find himself on Williams' lineup card again. If not, you can guarantee he'll be in the ear of his teammates lending advice on facing his old ballclub.