This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/brewers as Cubs' Jed Hoyer Makes Brutally Honest Brewers Admission As Division Gap Widens. Every season, the Milwaukee Brewers' ownership of the Chicago Cubs gets a little more satisfying for one side, a little more exasperating for the other.

Craig Counsell has become more than chilly about the Cubs looking up at his former team in the standings ... and apparently, George Webb burgers.

All true. But even though the Brewers’ 14-game winning streak ended Sunday with a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in 10 innings, their record is best in the majors by six games. The team that opened the season with the sport’s eighth lowest payroll is putting the competition to shame.

The National League’s two contenders without a title in their franchise history may again find it hard to succeed in October.

Nowadays Milwaukee is in the NL Central, and 87 wins is often good enough for at least a wild card. Of course, this year's team can set its sights much higher. Even after their winning streak was snapped Sunday, the Brewers are 33 games over .500. They need to go just 19-20 the rest of the way to set a franchise record with 97 victories.

With his full arsenal of pitches available, Tobias tore through opposing lineups in June, striking out 20 and walking only one in 24 1/3 innings while posting a 2.96 ERA. He was named the Brewers’ Complex League pitcher of the month for June just before he was promoted.

The Milwaukee Brewers have been the talk of baseball recently because of their 14-game winning streak. That run also gives us a chance to appreciate a particularly unusual big league season — the Brewers’ super streaky run through 1987.