Eric Thames File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
The Milwaukee Brewers capped off a stretch of 18-straight games by going 15-3, including Sunday’s 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park.
The Brewers lost the first of those 18 games, 10-5 to the Cubs and found themselves five games behind Chicago for the second wildcard spot in the National League.
After the Brewers swept the Pirates on Sunday and the Cubs were swept by the Cardinals in Chicago, Milwaukee’s lead in the Wild Card standings is now four games with six games left to play. The Brewers also drew even with Washington for the top wild card spot after the Nationals fell to Miami 5-3.
If the Brewers and Nationals should finish tied at the end of the week, the Brewers would host the wild card game in Milwaukee with the winner advancing to the National League Divisional Series.
Brandon Woodruff got the start and pitched the first two innings on Sunday. Jay Jackson pitched the third and Gio Gonzalez went the next 3 1/3. Together, the three pitchers were perfect through six innings. The Pirates broke the perfect game with one out in the seventh with a base hit off of Gonzalez.
Eric Thames homered twice and Orlando Arcia once for the Brewers.
Pittsburgh scored three times in the eighth inning to make it interesting before Josh Hader came on to record a four-out save, his 35th of the season.
The Brewers are off on Monday before opening a three-game series in St. Louis against the Cardinals on Tuesday.