After getting swept and embarrassed in a four-game home series against the current division leaders, the Brewers hope to begin damage control as they open a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night at Turner Field.

After finishing the first half with a victory, Milwaukee (60-49) won its first seven games after the All-Star break to record the club's longest win streak in nearly five years.

The run was snapped with a 3-1 loss to Houston last Friday, but the Brewers rebounded with a 6-4 victory the following day to pull into a first-place tie with the Chicago Cubs. They hadn't had a share of the top spot in the division since April 8.

Though it didn't take much time for the Brewers to make up that ground, it took even less for them to give it back. After losing the series finale against the Astros, the Brewers were swept in a four-game series by the Cubs, falling five games back in the division, where they're tied with St. Louis.

"No one is happy after a game like this," Brewers manager Ned Yost said following an 11-4 loss Thursday. "We don't like the fact that we allowed their fans to come into our park and have a four-day party. But that's our fault.

"We're a better team than what we showed the Cubs in this four-game series," Yost told the team's official Web site.

Yost's club hopes to prove that as it tries to climb back into the race - again.

"I don't think it will be a very happy plane ride to Atlanta tonight, but this is not a death sentence by any means," Yost said. "In September, yeah, this would hurt. We have plenty of time to recover from this."

A meeting with the Braves (50-58) could be a good opportunity for the Brewers to get back on track. Milwaukee has won four of six games against Atlanta this season, including two of three at Turner Field from June 23-25.

The Braves snapped a five-game losing streak with a 9-4 win over St. Louis on Thursday night. Rookie catcher Clint Sammons hit a go-ahead home run - the first homer of his career - and recorded his first three RBIs in the victory.

"That's something I'll remember forever," said Sammons, who was playing in his sixth career game. "To hit a homer that gives us a lead, which we've not had a lot of lately, is certainly a great memory. That's probably the best ball I've hit all year."

Atlanta will try to build on that win Friday against Milwaukee starter Jeff Suppan (5-7, 5.04 ERA), who matched a season high by giving up eight earned runs in six innings of an 11-6 loss to Houston on Sunday.

Suppan is 1-5 with a 5.61 ERA in six career starts against the Braves, including 0-4 with a 7.25 ERA in four games at Turner Field.

The Braves are expected to call up Chuck James (2-3, 8.22) for his first start in the majors since he lost to Philadelphia on May 15. The left-hander has gone 3-3 with a 2.75 ERA in his last 10 games with Triple-A Richmond.

James is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in two career games - one start - against the Brewers.