"It has not been an easy season for Nationals outfielder Rick Ankiel. It never really is for a player who has been through the wringer that is professional sports more than most.

Two separate stints on the disabled list kept him off the field. And even when he has been healthy Ankiel has often been relegated to a supporting role off the bench. But maybe things are starting to bend his way with two months still left to play in 2011.

Ankiel carried his hot bat from July into August with two home runs on Monday night against the Atlanta Braves. Washington starting pitcher Livan Hernandez helped with his best performance in five weeks thanks to six innings of one-run ball in an eventual 5-3 victory at Nationals Park.

Make it three wins in a row for Washington (52-56), which had lost 13 of 17 games before this current run of good fortune. Ankiel led off the Nats' half of the first inning with a solo home run to right-center field. He added another solo shot in the fifth inning to increase the lead to 3-1.

"Big night for [Ankiel]. Couldn't be happier for him," outfielder Jayson Werth said. "Two big homers. Sometimes they say 'It's not how far, it's how many.' But both of those were pretty far."

Since returning from the disabled list on July 1 after missing 14 games with a strained left intercostal muscle, Ankiel is batting .327 (18-for-55) with three doubles, two homers and a .387 on-base percentage. He is also the full-time starter in center field for the time being with Roger Bernadina demoted to Triple-A Syracuse over the weekend and Jerry Hairston traded to Milwaukee."