Milwaukee (13-17) at Atlanta (17-15)

Outstanding production at the plate led by Nate McLouth(notes) has the Atlanta Braves on their longest winning streak of the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers are having the exact opposite experience.

The hot-hitting McLouth looks to help the Braves sweep the punchless Brewers at Turner Field for the first time in almost nine years when they conclude their season series Thursday night.

Atlanta (17-15) has won four in a row, including the first three of this series after sweeping Wednesday’s doubleheader with an 8-3 victory in the opener and an 8-0 win in the nightcap behind Tim Hudson’s(notes) one-hitter.

The Braves last swept a series from the Brewers (13-17) at Turner Field from July 30-Aug. 1, 2002.

Atlanta is hitting .347 while outscoring Milwaukee 22-5 in this series. McLouth has done much of the damage by going 6 for 9 with a homer, three RBIs and four runs.

The center fielder is hitting .357 while adding two homers, seven RBIs and 14 runs with a .471 on-base percentage over the last 16 games. That stretch has spiked his season average 75 points to .287 after he batted .190 in 85 games in his first full season with the Braves in 2010.

McLouth has spent much of his career as a leadoff hitter, but is batting .462 with five doubles, two homers and 14 runs in 11 games as the No. 8 hitter.

“He feels comfortable down there,” manager Fredi Gonzalez told the team’s official website.

The Brewers are on a season-high five-game slide, hitting .166 while their 14 hits in this series are two more than Atlanta’s total from Wednesday. Their rotation hasn’t helped with a 6.91 ERA during the skid.

“We’re not doing anything very well,” manager Ron Roenicke said.

Sending Shaun Marcum(notes) (3-1, 2.21 ERA) to the mound gives Milwaukee a good chance to end its losing streak.

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA over his last five starts, a run that started with a 4-2 win in his first meeting with the Braves on April 7. Marcum limited Atlanta to two runs in six innings, and his first visit to Atlanta may continue his stunning road success.

He’s allowed one unearned run in 20 innings over his last three road starts, going 2-0 while holding opponents to a .167 average.

Marcum continued that streak while battling Houston and the flu Friday, giving up three hits in seven innings of a 5-0 win.

The Braves give the ball to Brandon Beachy(notes) (1-1, 3.47), who is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 19 innings over his last three starts.

The rookie right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings Saturday, before allowing two runs without recording an out in the eighth. He didn’t get a decision in a 3-2 loss to St. Louis.

“When he gets in jams, he doesn’t give in,” Gonzalez said. “He goes out and makes pitches.”

Beachy was impressive in his season debut at Milwaukee on April 4, yielding one run and four hits while striking out seven but left without a decision after his offense failed to give him any support in a 2-1 win.

Ryan Braun(notes), the Brewers’ leader with a .330 average and 10 homers, went 0 for 3 versus Beachy last month and enters this matchup in a 1-for-14 slump.