MILWAUKEE -- The way manager Craig Counsell saw it, the only way for Brewers starting pitchers to go was up.
Thursday's 5-3 win over the Cubs capped a seven-game homestand that featured six of Milwaukee's nine best starts this season, including each of their top five performances as measured by Bill James' game score. Junior Guerra's 11-strikeout, seven-inning outing in the finale didn't rank among those top five, but it did give the Brewers eight quality starts in their last 10 games -- compared to seven quality starts in the team's first 31 games.