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Welcome to today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

Adrian Houser’s going to the IL. Mike Tauchman is grabbing some pine. It’s Prime Time, y’all. This is what we wanted, to be a first-division club again. I couldn’t be happier.

The Brewers come in with an eight-game winning streak. Now it’s nine.

“I think we’re feeling good as a ballclub,” Milwaukee’s Mark Canha, who went 5-for-12 against the Padres, told Bally Sports Wisconsin.

“We just want to go in (to Chicago) and put forth a good effort like we have been.”

Then on to Cincinnati.

Jameson Taillon versus former Cub Wade Miley, who was effective when healthy but not healthy enough to retain. Miley was healthy on this occasion. Taillon got banged around early, wasn’t helped by uncharacteristic Golden Clanks by Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, who erred for the first time in tandem.

Ian Happ and Patrick Wisdom smacked meatballs but the rest of the offense was weak sauce against the Brewers and the Cubs went down to ignominious defeat. No chance to sweep now — three will have to do.

Same bat time today. Justin Steele on the hill versus Corbin Burnes. It has the makings of a classic. At least it shouldn’t be boring. And hey!

So we got that going for us.

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• Harrison_Freuck (Brew Crew Ball*): Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers @ Chicago Cubs. “I expect this series to be a tough battle for the top two teams in the NL Central.” James Neveau has thoughts.
• James Neveau (NBC Sports Chicago*): How the Brewers-Cubs series could impact the MLB playoff race. “... the series is the first of four straight massive series for the Cubs.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Matchup between managers David Ross and Craig Counsell adds some spice to the Chicago Cubs-Milwaukee Brewers rivalry. “There might not have been an obvious turning point to the Chicago Cubs’ season.”
• Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): How Cubs manager David Ross sets the tone — and his lineups — for a playoff contender. “Until Ross wins a division in a full season and proves he can get the best out of his team on a yearly basis, there will be doubters.” Jack Deignan has more.
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery*): Injured Cubs pitchers: Who will return, who won’t. Brett Taylor has more. Fulmer probably comes back.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs envision battery of Jordan Wicks and Miguel Amaya as ‘a big part of our future’. “Amaya was behind the plate for Wicks’ major-league debut Saturday.”

“There’s a lot of things that you can look at from a lineup standpoint,” Ross said. “But since we’ve been going well, Ian’s been in the three-hole. . . . Why would I mess with that?” — Maddie Lee.

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Ian Happ breaks Musial’s long-standing record. “When the Cubs outfielder drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning on Saturday, he surpassed Hall of Famer Stan Musial for the longest on-base streak in modern history against the Pirates.” Maddie Lee has more Happ.

Dept of redundancy dept:

“He’s as consistent of an at-bat as I think we have on our team,” Ross said. “And I mean that in a fact of, when he’s scuffling, when he’s going well, when he’s hitting for power, when he’s getting on base, you don’t see a change in the consistent consistency in the at-bat.” — Maddie Lee.

• 670 The Score*: Jed Hoyer continues to lavish praise upon Pete Crow-Armstrong as rosters are set to expand: ‘We know he has a super bright future, he’s going to help us win a lot’. [Audio]
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): I love Cody Bellinger, but let’s not offer up Mookie Betts as a comp, OK? “Let Bellinger be his own incredible player, and appreciate how good and important he’s been for the Cubs this season.” Nightengale crows.
• John Perrotto (Forbes* {$}): Led by resurgent Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs are surprise contenders. “The Cubs can make their move this week when they host the Brewers for a three-game series beginning Monday night at Wrigley Field.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): After sitting a few games, Seiya Suzuki standing tall at the plate. “The Cubs’ lineup takes on a dangerous look when Suzuki is performing at a high level.” Maddie Lee has more on Suzuki.

Food For Thought:

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