Red-hot Brewers manage to "exceed expectations" every year, gaining ground on rival Cubs in NL Central race.

The Chicago Cubs continue to prove they are the class of the National League Central. And on Tuesday, Chicago won a back and forth game over the team right behind it in the standings.

The Cubs upped their division lead to 6 1/2 games over the second-place Brewers, who won the NL Central in each of the past two years. Isaac Collins hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee.

Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong homered, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 on Tuesday night in a matchup of NL Central contenders.

Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong homered, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 in a matchup of NL Central contenders ...

The Cubs upped their division lead to 6 1/2 games over the second-place Brewers, who won the NL Central in each of the past two years. Isaac Collins hit a two-run homer for Milwaukee.

If Cubs are taking back the North — er, Central — this Brewers series would be a fine time to make that clear Since a ragged 21-25 start, the Brewers have gone 18-9 to remain relatively in ...