“Et tu, Brute?”  This Latin phrase from Shakespeare expresses the surprise that Caesar felt as he was being stabbed to death.  “Even You, Brutus?” is the translation of a friend’s betrayal.  I’m sure the Brewers tonight feel like they’ve been stabbed by the Cubs the last two nights in the 10th inning.  Et tu, Brewers?  Miller Park sounded like the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, as the Cubs dealt a fatal blow, and the Magic Number is now down to 5 with nine games to go.  The Cubbies are now at least assured of a series draw with the fading Brew Crew, thanks to a Tommy LaStella walk with the bases loaded.  There is not enough beer in Milwaukee tonight to drown the sorrows of the Brewer faithful.

To get to this point, the lovable Cubs have won nine of their last ten games.  They’ve been both lucky and good, and certainly good and lucky.  These last two games have been real nail biters in a must-win series for both teams.  While the Brewers have sputtered, the Cardinals have rebounded from the recent series sweep by the Cubs.  The Cards have now won four straight and stand one game out of the Wild Card position, currently controlled by the Rockies.  These three teams will be fighting for that last Wild Card spot, with the Cubs as the spoiler.  Two more games against the Brewers and four in St. Louis still loom ahead for Chicago; not to mention the last three against the Reds.  86 victories for the year and counting, giving them potentially the worst record of the six Division Champs this season.

The Cubs have come through in Milwaukee, but the seventh and eighth innings of ballgames are their Achilles heel.  They needed five pitchers tonight to finish and seven last night.   This could be their downfall throughout the Playoffs.  The Indians are sizzling, the Cards hot, the Red Sox on a roll, and the Dodgers back on their feet, while the Cubs are just getting by.  I’m not complaining, just concerned.  The last back-to-back Champion was 17 years ago, as the Yankees claimed a three-peat.  The last National League team to do it was the Cincinnati Reds 41 years ago, while the last time for the Cubs was back 110 years.  I know the team overcame impossible odds to win it all last year, but I don’t think they have the pitching depth to pull it off again in 2017.  However, I’d love for them to prove me wrong!  Et tu!