Here's how it invariably works, at least for this correspondent. If I mention that a guy’s going great, he’ll go 0-for-his-next-50. If I mention that guy’s not going great, he’ll … oh, I don’t know. Maybe do something like drive in the tying run in the sixth inning and the go-ahead runs in the 14^th?

Yeah. Something like that.

Tuesday’s print AJC column, available on myajc.com, offered a look at the Atlanta Braves, who’d seen their lead in the National League East cut to four games. The crux, as it were, of the missive was that this team was really good in April because Justin Upton was really good in April, and that it hadn’t been as good since because he hadn’t been as good.

On cue, Justin Upton had a big game Monday night -- he, er, drove in the tying run in the sixth and the go-ahead runs in the 14th -- and that underscored two points: First, that the Bradley jinx/reverse-jinx powers remain mighty, but also that what was suggested is pretty much true. The Braves are a different team when the younger Upton hits.

For all the moaning over the tribulations of B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla, they aren’t batting No. 3 every night. Your No. 3 man is supposed to be your best hitter, and Justin Upton has the capability of being the best hitter on a slew of big-league teams, this one included. He was great in April. He hadn’t been great in May and June. But, as general manager Frank Wren noted Monday, the Braves believe they’ve seen signs of a return to form, and Monday night's game offered tangible evidence.

Justin Upton had 19 RBIs in April. As of the fifth inning of Monday’s game – Game No. 89, if you’re counting – he was still stuck on 39. For all those sabermetric folks who insist the RBI isn’t a meaningful stat, that’s it’s more a function of having runners aboard than hitting ability, the lack of RBIs for a No. 3 hitter carries massive meaning. It means that the key run-producing spot in the order isn’t producing runs.

Justin Upton has the potential to produce runs at the highest level. That April’s player of the month didn’t make the All-Star team tells us how pronounced his slide has been, but 73 games remain. If he hits the way he can, we won’t be asking the question posed in this space yesterday: Are the Braves in trouble? If Justin Upton hits the way he can, they’ll be fine.

Today's AJC print column: As the lead narrows, the weight on Justin Upton grows.