Cubs Swept... But Brewers Swept, Too

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Aug 9, 2007 2:29PM

If the past week is any indication, it's beginning to look like Houston could end up as the winners of the NL Central this year. While a Cubs surge through June and July allowed them to catch the Milwaukee Brewers in the standings last week, since that time neither club has looked like they want to win the division crown.

Last night, Carlos Zambrano got rocked for seven runs over 5.2 innings as the Astros won 8-2 and completed a three game sweep of the Cubs. The loss was the forth straight for the North Siders, who've also lost six of their last seven.

Adding injury to insult, Cubs slugger Aramis Ramirez flew back to Chicago to have a specialist after aggravating a sore right wrist. With Soriano already out for a month, the Cubs cannot afford to lose yet another of their best hitters.

While the Cubs have struggled mightily since they tied the Brewers last week, at least Milwaukee's making it easy for the Cubs to keep pace. The Brewers, who lost 19-4 yesterday, were themselves swept by the Colorado Rockies and have lost five of their last seven. Currently, the Brewers hold just a one game lead over the Cubs. Both clubs has better watch out -- the reigning World Series winning Cardinals lurck just six game back in spite of their own recent five-game losing streak! Can the Cubs return to their winning ways and pull away with the division? Or will their inability to take advantage of the Brewers slump prove costly come September? Does anybody want to win the NL Central?

Photo by AP Photo/Pat Sullivan