The resurgent Braves won eight times on an 11-game homestand against playoff hopefuls Oakland, New York (Mets) and Arizona, including three wins in the past six days against a trio of former Cy Young Award winners.

Now comes an even bigger challenge. The road test.

Pouya Dianat/AJC (ENLARGE)

Chipper Jones returned to the lineup Monday, one day after sitting out a game with back spasms. The Braves slugger got on the board early with a single and a run.

Your Turn Will the Braves win a series in their upcoming six-game road trip?   Yes   No Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

BY THE NUMBERS • Box score • Standings • Stats Photos: Braves conclude homestand RELATED STORIES Hampton turns down Braves, signs with Astros  Ex-Brave Gant on Hall of Fame ballot  Arbitration deadline not significant for Braves         • More Braves coverage

"Great homestand; 8-3 against the teams we played is tremendous," Chipper Jones said after the Braves beat Arizona and Brandon Webb 7-3 Monday at Turner Field to split a four-game series with the National League West leaders.

"But again, you don't know until we get back out on the road," Jones said.

The Braves got 10 hits and seven runs (four earned) against Webb (9-2) and knocked him out in the fifth inning. They got 12 hits in seven innings against the Mets' Johan Santana last week and won Saturday against Randy Johnson.

But neither the two-time former American League Cy Young winner (Santana), the celebrated Big Unit (Johnson), nor the Webb sinker proved as formidable as the biggest obstacle the Braves have encountered this season: The Road.

"Until we start playing more consistent ball and execute away from here, I don't know what to say," said Jones, who went 1-for-3 with two walks and lost one point off his majors-best batting average (.416).

The Braves have the National League's best home record (22-7) and the most home wins in the major leagues. But they also have the NL's worst road record (6-16) and the fewest road wins in the majors.

Rookie Jair Jurrjens was hampered by a thumb blister and gave up three runs and eight hits in a season-low 4-2/3 innings. He said the blister prevented him from throwing his sinker, and the Braves aren't certain whether he'll be able to make his next scheduled start.

But even with their most consistent pitcher out before the end of the fifth inning, the Braves cruised. They got two scoreless innings apiece from Manny Acosta (3-1) and Blaine Boyer after getting unusual run support against Webb.

Webb threw complete-game shutouts in each of his past two starts against the Braves, giving up just six hits in 18 innings. But Monday he set season-highs for hits and runs allowed in a season-low 4-1/3 innings, and lost for the second time in a row after opening the season with wins in his first nine starts.

"We played three good teams on this homestand," said first baseman Mark Teixeira, who continued his annual May warming trend with two hits and four RBIs against Webb as the Braves built a 5-1 lead after two innings.

The Braves have won 15 of their past 18 home games, but lost 12 of their past 16 road games. They posted a 3.22 ERA and scored 5.6 runs per game in those 18 home games, and had a 4.38 ERA and 3.6 runs per game in those 16 road games.

"I think when everybody's going right, we can beat anybody," said catcher Brian McCann, who homered off Webb to start the fifth inning, after Orlando Hudson's two-run homer off Jurrjens in the fifth cut the lead to 5-3.

"We put together some good at-bats against Webb, one through nine [in the order]. I think we're starting to play better, with more consistency. We know what we've got to do."

What they've got to do is take care of their road woes, if they seriously hope to achieve their season goals.

There's no better time to start than a three-game series that begins today at Milwaukee, which has lost 15 of its past 23 games. The Braves won't have to face Brewers ace Ben Sheets.

"We have all the potential in the world to be the best team in the league," said second baseman Kelly Johnson, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games. "We showed it here. Now we've just got to carry it over to the road."