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Jul 12, 2009 - 6:25 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Los Angeles (55-31) at Milwaukee (44-42), 2:05 p.m. EDT

Win or lose, the Los Angeles Dodgers will head into the All-Star break with the best record in the majors.

The Dodgers go for their fourth straight series win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon at Miller Park, where they finish a nine-game trip and the first half of the season.

Los Angeles (55-32), which leads the Boston Red Sox by two games for the best overall record, had its three-game winning streak at Miller Park snapped with Saturday's 6-3 loss.

Rafael Furcal hit a two-run homer in the fifth and Andre Ethier followed with a solo shot that brought the Dodgers within 4-3, but they fell to 5-3 on their trip.

"We put pressure on them when we got close, but that's as close as we got," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.

The Dodgers, though, have won two of three against the Brewers in their last three series.

Torre gives the ball to left-hander Clayton Kershaw (6-5, 3.27 ERA), who struck out seven while scattering three hits and two walks over six innings of Tuesday's 8-0 win over the New York Mets.

"I thought he was terrific," Torre told the Dodgers' official Web site. "The last three or four outings, since he was waxed in the three-inning start (2 2-3 innings versus San Diego on June 10), he's come back and really been more of a pitcher."

Kershaw is 3-0 with a 0.61 ERA in last five starts. He has allowed two runs in 29 2-3 innings, and opponents are hitting .172 against him.

"I still need to cut down on walks," said Kershaw, averaging three free passes in his last five outings.

As a rookie last year, Kershaw had a no-decision in his lone start versus the Brewers.

The Brewers (45-42) moved within two games of the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals with Saturday's victory. Milwaukee had lost four of five at home and seven of nine overall.

"We haven't had much luck lately, and we haven't played that well either," Frank Catalanotto said after hitting his first home run since April 22, 2008. "Especially after last night's loss (12-8 in 10 innings), it was big to come back and win this one today."

Yovani Gallardo (8-6, 2.95) takes the mound for Milwaukee, which is going for its first series win against Los Angeles since taking two of three at Miller Park from April 2-4, 2007.

Gallardo, however, has lost his last two starts.

The 23-year-old right-hander walked five and surrendered four runs and six hits over five innings in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to St. Louis. Gallardo threw 37 of his 102 pitches in the first inning, when the Cardinals scored three times.

He has never faced the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder raised his batting average to .316 with Saturday's 2-for-3 effort. He is hitting .407 (22 for 54) with five homers and 11 RBIs in his last 16 games.

Manny Ramirez extended his hitting streak to five on Saturday with a leadoff single in the fourth inning. Since returning July 3 from a 50-game suspension, he is batting .308 (8 for 26) with three home runs and nine RBIs.

Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman reached the 20-save mark for the 15th time Saturday. Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton, meanwhile, will not be available Sunday or for Tuesday's All-Star game due to an injured big toe on his right foot.