BUST OUT THE BROOMS; BREWERS SWEEP CUBS
Maybe It's time to stop doubting the 2004 Milwaukee Brewers.

When the Brewers went out on their big west coast trip I kept waiting for the wheels to fall off.

When they lost 2 of 3 to Colorado and went on a road trip that included Minnesota, Colorado and Pittsburgh, I was waiting for the wheels to fall off.

When they were swept by last-place Pittsburgh in a four game set I was waiting for the wheels to fall off...And they never did.

11 seasons of losing baseball will make a fan cynical. My cynicism may have been slightly dissipated by the Brewers three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs, behind outstanding pitching that held the Cubs to two runs in three games.

DOUG DAVIS (9-6) had arguably one of the best outings of his career, throwing eight shutout innings while allowing only four hits, two walks and striking out a career high nine. MIKE ADAMS lowered his ERA to 1.19 by pitching a perfect ninth to seal the victory.

Offensively GEOFF JENKINS put together a solid game, going 2-5 while hitting his 12th homerun of the season, a two run shot that gave the Brewers a 3-0 lead in the third inning. WES HELMS was 2-3 with an RBI and CHAD MOELLER was 2-4. BEN GRIEVE continues to put together good days at the plate, he was 1-3 with a walk and an RBI.

The win pulls the Milwaukee Brewers within 1 game of the Wild Card, but with essentially two teams ahead of them, it will take a few more wins to get on top of those standings.

WILD CARD STANDINGS
*GAMES BACK OF WILD CARD
CHI ---
SD/LA ---
SFO 0.5
MIL 1.0
CIN 2.0

Cincinnati comes to town for a four game set starting tonight at Miller Park. The Reds are one-game behind Milwaukee, which means this is a very big series for both teams heading into the All-Star break.

PAUL WILSON (8-2, 3.63 ERA) and WES OBERMUELLER (3-4, 6.82 ERA) are the pitchers for Tonight's contest.

AARON HARANG (4-2, 4.71 ERA) will face CHRIS CAPUANO (3-4, 3.69 ERA) on Friday night.

COREY LIDLE (6-6, 4.84 ERA) will throw against All-Star BEN SHEETS (8-5, 2.42 ERA) on Saturday night.

JOSE ACEVEDO (4-7, 5.20 ERA) will face VICTOR SANTOS (8-3, 3.91 ERA) in the final game before the All-Star Break.

This series could go along way in determining whether or not the Brewers are buyers or sellers in this year's trading season.