Since July 7, only the Los Angeles Dodgers have a better record in the National League than the Brewers and Cubs. On Monday, those two clubs met at Wrigley Field as the top two teams in the NL Central. In a stretch of games against playoff-level teams, this three-game stretch is one of their most important as they try to return to the playoffs.
The Brewers, carrying an eight-game winning streak into Monday, have found success because they have continued to find early leads. They have struck first in five of their last eight games, and the trend continued against the Cubs.