"After benching Dan Uggla twice in seven games, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez dropped the .178-hitting second baseman to seventh in the batting order Wednesday.

Uggla last started a game hitting lower than sixth in July 2009, when then-Marlins manager Gonzalez batted him seventh in two consecutive games.

Gonzalez penciled him into the 7-hole in three consecutive games Aug. 27-29, 2008, the only other times in a six-year major league career that Uggla hit lower than sixth in a starting lineup before Wednesday.

Rookie first baseman Freddie Freeman was in the fifth spot and shortstop Alex Gonzalez sixth in the order for Wednesday night's game against San Diego, behind cleanup hitter Brian McCann.

"Freeman's been swinging the bat well lately, and it gives you a little protection for McCann," Gonzalez said.

Freeman hit .362 with six extra-base hits and a .500 slugging percentage in his past 15 games before Wednesday, and McCann hit .362 with 11 extra-base hits (four homers) and a .766 slugging percentage in his past 12 games.

Uggla's career-worst slump had only deepened in recent weeks, and he was a staggering 4-for-47 (.085) with no extra-base hits and one RBI in his past 14 games before Wednesday.

Gonzalez decided to "give him a breather" on Tuesday for the second time in seven games, using Uggla only as a pinch-runner for Chipper Jones late in the game.

The manager joked Wednesday that Uggla was too much of a "pain in the [rear]" pacing and fidgeting in the dugout to not play him in consecutive games."