Milwaukee @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2010 ) Atlanta 9, Milwaukee 2

The Atlanta Braves have held the biggest home-field advantage in baseball so far this season. Now they hope to ride it all the way to the World Series.

Atlanta begins the second half with the National League's best record, and thanks to catcher Brian McCann's MVP performance in Tuesday's All-Star Game, the Braves would have home-field advantage if they find themselves in the World Series for the first time since 1999.

The Braves have a long way to go to take full advantage of the good fortune McCann's three-run double sent their way Tuesday, but they begin the second half having won four of five and holding a four-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East.

They also play their next seven games at Turner Field – where their 30-10 record is the best home mark in baseball – and it starts with a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers beginning Thursday.

Atlanta has lost only one series at home all season, dropping two of three to Philadelphia in the third week of the season, and has won 20 of its last 24 at home.

The Braves will have a new face in the dugout in shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who they acquired Wednesday in a trade with Toronto. In addition to Gonzalez, the Braves got two minor league prospects in exchange for underperforming shortstop Yunel Escobar and left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes.

Gonzalez appears to be on the way to the best season of his 12-year career. He is hitting .259 with 17 homers and 50 RBIs. In 50 career games at Turner Field, he has hit .264 with six homers and 21 RBIs.

Jair Jurrjens, Thursday's projected starter for the Braves, has been right at home at Turner Field. The 24-year-old right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts there this season, compared to an 0-3 mark and 9.00 ERA in four road starts.

Jurrjens (1-3, 5.40 ERA) has posted quality starts in his first two outings since returning from a two-month stint on the disabled list with a strained hamstring. He held the Nationals to one run over five innings in a 4-1 victory in his first game back, and he settled for a no-decision after allowing three runs on two hits over six innings in Atlanta's 6-3 win at Philadelphia on July 6.

The Brewers endured a roller-coaster first half that included a three-game sweep in which the Braves outscored them 28-7 from May 10-12 at Miller Park, but they went into the All-Star break on a good note, having swept a three-game series from Pittsburgh.

They hope 30-year-old right-hander Dave Bush can help them keep the winning streak going by continuing his strong performance over the past month.

Bush (4-6, 4.14 ERA) has posted five consecutive quality starts, most recently allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings in a 4-3 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday. During that span, Bush is 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA.

The Braves beat Bush earlier this season when he allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings in the Brewers' 11-3 loss May 11 in Milwaukee, but he has had success against Atlanta throughout his career. He is 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in four starts against the Braves, and he held them to one run over seven innings in his only previous start at Turner Field.