(Sports Network) - Just when the Atlanta Braves thought they were in the driver's seat to NL East familiarity, the club takes a turn off course.

The Braves were on a four-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, until suffering a big loss in Monday's series opener against Los Angeles.

Atlanta came out of nowhere while other teams in the division slipped, and owns wins in 15 of its last 20 games. However, the club was an exact opposite in the opener of a 10-game homestand on Monday.

After completing a nine-game road trip with a 6-3 record against Arizona, San Diego and Chicago, the Braves dropped a stinker with last night's 12-5 setback in the opener of a three-game set.

Edgar Renteria went 3-for-5 with a run scored for the Braves, who are 17-10 in May after going 10-14 in April. After leading the NL with a 1.88 ERA through his first eight games, including six starts, Braves starter John Thomson's ERA is now 4.06. He has allowed 15 earned runs in his last three starts.

"He actually pitched good. He got the ground balls," Braves manager Bobby Cox said after the game. "They just weren't hit hard enough for anyone to make plays off of. But John didn't pitch bad at all. Too many cheap hits."

Atlanta is in the midst of playing 25 of its next 38 games at home before the All-Star break. That's a pretty sweet deal the Braves must take advantage of in their hunt for a 15th consecutive division title.

Atlanta, which just competed in its major league-low 19th home game, is a modest 12-7 at Turner Field this season and 14-12 against the division. The recent surge has propelled the Braves 4 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for first place in the division

FURCAL BACK IN THE ATL

The Braves welcomed a familiar face back to Turner Field on Monday night, as shortstop Rafael Furcal led his Los Angeles Dodgers into Georgia.

Furcal greeted some of his old mates prior to Monday's affair after spending the first six seasons of his career in a Braves uniform. He did, however, receive a mixed ovation when announced in the pregame warmups and on his first trip to the plate.

"He doesn't look as good in that color blue," said Marcus Giles with a smile. "I've been keeping up with him a little bit, and he's definitely picking it up. It's nice to see he's doing well."

Furcal, the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year and owner of a lethal right arm, batted .284 with 57 home runs, 292 RBI and 189 stolen bases with the Braves. Last year the native of the Dominican Republic batted .284 with 12 homers, 58 RBI and 29 stolen bases.

Atlanta replaced Furcal with the talented Edgar Renteria in the offseason.

CRAZY EIGHTS

In Sunday's 13-12, 11-inning win at Wrigley Field, the Braves set an Atlanta record and tied a franchise mark with eight home runs against the Cubs.

It was the 17th time in major league history that a club belted eight or more homers in a game. No team has ever been on the losing end after clubbing that many round-trippers in a single contest.

Edgar Renteria and Adam LaRoche paced the attack with two homers apiece, while Ryan Langerhans, Marcus Giles, Andruw Jones and Brayan Pena also went deep in the victory.

WHO'S HOT

Braves starting pitcher Jorge Sosa is slowly getting back into the groove on the mound.

After opening the season with four straight losses and going 0-5 through his first seven starts to the season, Sosa has eased his way back with consecutive solid outings

He earned his first win of the season on May 18 against the Florida Marlins by pitching 6 2/3 solid innings. Sosa, who went 13-3 last year, allowed just one run on six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Sosa did drop his next start, but pitched well doing so. Against the San Diego Padres on May 23, Sosa yielded two runs -- one earned -- in 6 1/3 innings. Lefty batters are hitting .338 against him, while right-handed hitters own a .255 batting average versus Sosa, whose ERA is 3.76 in May.

Second baseman Brian Giles has reached base safely in 13 of his last 16 games.

Shortstop Edgar Renteria is 7-for-11 in his last two games. He has hit safely in all 18 games he has played at Turner Field this season, going 26-for-75 (.347) with 12 runs scored.

In his last five games Braves center fielder Andruw Jones has six hits, including three home runs, six RBI and four runs scored.

WHO'S NOT

John Thomson (See above).

A PEEK AHEAD

The Braves will play two more games with Los Angeles before continuing their homestand against Arizona and Washington.

Atlanta will then open a seven-game road trip in Houston and Florida.