Uggla starts at second base as Braves shuffle lineup

ST. LOUIS -- The Braves lineup Sunday featured several changes, the most notable being Dan Uggla starting at second.

It was Uggla's first start since May 6. Uggla has struggled, entering Sunday with a .183 average this season and has just two plate appearances since Tyler Pastornicky got the starting nod earlier this month.

"We'll give him four at-bats and I hope he can go 4-for-4 and I hope we can score 12 runs," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said before the game. "Just give him some at-bats."

Pastornicky tweaked his calf reaching for a ball thrown to second on a steal attempt during Saturday's game. At first, there was concern about a re-aggravation of the knee injury that derailed Pastornicky's 2013 campaign, but the soreness is in the calf.

"I know the difference from last year, what it feels like and it definitely wasn't that," Pastornicky said. "I just kind of came down on it and it kind of wouldn't loosen up after that so we just give it a day."

Pastornicky took part in all of the team drills before Sunday's game and expects to be back in the lineup Monday.

Uggla batted sixth. Gerald Laird also gave Evan Gattis a breather at catcher and Jordan Schafer got the start in center over a struggling B.J. Upton.

With the new faces, Andrelton Simmons moved up to the five-hole. Simmons entered Sunday on a four-game hitting streak and had hit safely in six of his last seven games. He went 3-for-3 Saturday and scored the Braves' lone run.