The Cubs (71-66) are currently in their hottest stretch of the season by far, completing a sweep of the Nationals in Washington Sunday for their sixth consecutive win and ninth in the last 10 games. They have managed to pull themselves five games above the .500 mark and are just three behind the Braves for the final spot in the National League Wild Card race.
Craig Counsell‘s squad is on an historic offensive tear at the moment, having scored a whopping 99 runs over their last 10 games as they have feasted on weak opponents. Now they return from a highly successful three-city road trip to face one of the struggling teams they just beat up on, the Pirates, with a three-game set starting on Labor Day.