(My Sportsbook) - With the longest winning streak in the National League at the moment, the Atlanta Braves try to put even more distance between themselves and the rest of the NL East as they finish up a three-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers in Southern California.

Russ Ortiz tossed eight solid innings and Gary Sheffield homered as the Braves downed Los Angeles, 3-1, at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday.

Rafael Furcal went 2-for-4 with a run scored for red-hot Atlanta, which won its fourth straight game and has now taken 23 of its last 27 contests, a mark that is the best for the Braves since the 1954 campaign, the franchise's second year in Milwaukee.

Ortiz allowed just one run on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks for the Braves, who will go for the sweep of this three-game set on Wednesday.

John Smoltz worked the ninth for his major-league leading 16th save.

Greg Maddux, who will take to the mound tonight for the Braves, had his three- decision winning streak halted last time on the hill. The 37-year-old surrendered five hits and three runs over seven innings, while walking three and fanning two. The veteran has given up no more than three runs in any of his last six starts.

The crafty twirler has been very successful against the Dodgers in his career, posting a 10-5 mark with a 2.83 ERA in 26 career games. Maddux has allowed 175 hits and 60 earned runs over 190 2/3 innings of action.

Atlanta hitters are second in the league batting at a .279 clip and they are tied for second among the other 15 clubs with 48 home runs.

With his ninth long ball of the campaign yesterday, Sheffield gave himself 30 RBI, a batting average of .349 and a slugging percentage of .659, second in the National League entering action on Wednesday.