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Sheets searches for sixth straight win vs. Braves

Jun 23, 2008 - 1:32 PM Milwaukee (41-34) at Atlanta (38-39) 7:10 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Ben Sheets hasn't suffered an injury so far this season and, as a result, he is experiencing his finest season. If history holds true on Monday, his breakout season should continue.

The Milwaukee Brewers turn to their ace for their seventh win in eight games when they travel to Turner Field to meet the Atlanta Braves.

Getting Sheets (8-1, 2.74 ERA) this far into the season without an injury has to be a bit of a surprise for Milwaukee, which has lost its righthander to the disabled list five times in just the past three seasons, with four of those trips coming before or right after the All-Star break.

Without having to worry about his physical state, Sheets has been outstanding as of late, going 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA over his last six starts.

Sheets overcame an uncharacteristic four walks in his last start, a 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Despite the control issues, he allowed two runs and four hits over six frames - the fifth time in six starts in which he has yielded two or fewer runs.

With Sheets rolling, the Brewers have begun to shake off their poor start, closing within 6 1/2 games of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.

Sheets has won his last five starts against Atlanta, contributing greatly to his 8-3 record with a 4.80 ERA in 11 career starts against the Braves.

He'll have to be at his best to miss the bat of the Braves' Mark Teixeira, who clubbed three homers on Sunday in Atlanta's 8-3 win over the Seattle Mariners.

If Teixeira has another solid day at the plate, it will be to the benefit of Jo-Jo Reyes (3-4, 4.05). The young lefthander has gone at least seven innings in each of his last five outings, but didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 5-2 win over Texas after permitting two runs - one earned - and five hits over seven innings.