Cubs Dominate, Sweep Brewers

In what was considered to be the biggest series by both teams this season, the Cubs arrived in Milwaukee last Monday riding a 1 game lead in the NL Central and hoping, at least most fans, for a split.  With the way the Cubs had been playing on the road so far this season it looked as though this was a big chance for the Brewers to pass the Cubs in the NL Central standings.

This was not to be the case.

The Cubs, led by dominant starting pitching, arrived in Milwaukee and played some of the best road ball of the season.  The pitching was there as all four starters received quality starts and the staff as a whole only gave up 11 runs over the four game series.  This was complimented by bats that hadn't been awake much since the All-Star Break as the Cubs went on to score 31 runs of their own.

The Cubs finally showed that they can play on the road and if that continues they will be in good shape for the final two months of the regular season.  After all they were 22-30 on the road going into this series, to get a sweep bring them to only 4 games under .500 in away games.  If they can just get that back to .500 then they can let their 25 games above .500 at home do the rest of the work in securing the division and home field advantage in the NL half of the play offs.

One of the most impressive things on the brief trip north to Milwaukee may have been the way the Cubs got it done.  They didn't rely on the long ball in the first three games of the series, and manufactured most of their runs by stringing together hits and making the Brewers' starters take long innings.  And when you have two guys at the top of your line up, in Alfonso Soriano and Ryan Theriot, getting on base at a ridiculous clip it sets you up to score runs and score them often.  And when you get contributions from the lower half of your line up, Edmonds with two home runs in game 4, it never hurts your chances either.

Plus with the Cubs now riding a 5 game win streak they head back to the friendly confines to start a 9 game set that includes the Pirates, Astros and Cardinals.  They could conceivably sweep all 9, but winning 7 of the games definitely would not be disappointing either.  And with the Brewers going on the road, even against the Braves and Reds, it is a great chance for the Cubs to push their lead further in the division.

The Brewers, on the other hand, are heading in the wrong direction.  They completely lost their composure across the board in the ninth inning of game 4 in the series.  First, Eric Gagne was ejected for throwing at Jim Edmonds and then followed up by Prince Fielder throwing a temper tantrum over balls and strikes. 

The Brew Crew had much more to lose during this series, as it was at their home place and even Braun came out and said the pressure was on the Cubs.  Well after this series it appears the pressure is directly on the Brewers to try and keep pace with the best team in the National League.  The Cubs held two of the Brewers' top hitters at bay with Braun going 4 for 15, and Hardy going 1 for 16.  Fielder had a solid series going 6 for 13, but if no one is on base in front of him, he can't hurt you that bad. 

It will be an interesting week up here in Wrigleyville with the Pirates and Astros in town.  But if the Cubs can handle them, it sets up another big time series against the Cardinals next weekend and gives the Cubs another chance to bury one of the teams chasing in their wake.