Ever since Babe Ruth launched Major League Baseball into the live-ball era with his awe-inspiring home runs, wowed fans have been asking: "How far did that ball go?"

Teams had their own methods for estimating home run distance for nearly a century. But now, the launch of Statcast™ has given us a whole new tool to answer the question, thanks to the tracking technology at every MLB ballpark.

Here is a look at the longest homers hit by each of the 30 MLB clubs since Statcast™ began tracking home run distances at the start of the 2015 season.

American League East

Blue Jays: Josh Donaldson, April 23, 2015, vs. BAL; Sept. 17, 2017, at MIN
Distance: 481 feet (Watch them: HR No. 1; HR No. 2)
Both of these big flies were demolished. The first, with a 112.5-mph exit velocity, Donaldson launched into the second deck at the Rogers Centre. He hit the second even harder, at 113.5 mph, reaching the upper tank at Minnesota's Target Field. Full Blue Jays leaderboard

Orioles: Jonathan Schoop, Aug. 26, 2015, at KC
Distance: 484 feet (Watch it)
The Orioles have had their share of big sluggers in recent years, but it's Schoop who holds this title. One of baseball's best sluggers at second base, he jumped on this Johnny Cueto pitch that tailed in off the inside corner and kept it just fair down the left-field line at Kauffman Stadium. Full Orioles leaderboard

Rays: J.P. Arencibia, Sept. 7, 2015, at DET
Distance: 464 feet (Watch it)
Arencibia played only 24 games for Tampa Bay -- all in 2015, his final MLB season -- but he had no shortage of power. The opposing pitcher, Randy Wolf, was also in his final season, when he pitched in just eight games for the Tigers. Nonetheless, they combined here for an entry in the Rays' Statcast™ record book. Full Rays leaderboard

Red Sox: Hanley Ramirez, April 29, 2017, vs. CHC
Distance: 469 feet (Watch it)
Before this, Ramirez was tied with David Ortiz for the longest Red Sox homer, at 468 feet. But here, facing former Boston hurler John Lackey at Fenway Park, he took that honor all for himself. Ramirez drilled a center-cut two-seamer way over the Green Monster for a monstrous solo shot. Full Red Sox leaderboard

Yankees: Aaron Judge, June 11, 2017, vs. BAL
Distance: 495 feet (Watch it)
Judge became a sensation in 2017 because of feats like this one. The AL Rookie of the Year cleared the left-field bleachers at Yankee Stadium with a 118.6 mph, 495-foot homer. It was the longest homer of 2017 and tied Judge for the second-longest big fly in Statcast™ history. Full Yankees leaderboard

AL Central

Indians: Mike Napoli, Sept. 9, 2016 vs. MIN
Distance: 463 feet (Watch it)
The Party at Napoli's reached the highest deck at Target Field on this September night, as this blast helped the first baseman reach a career-high 93 RBIs on the season. Napoli had also hit a 464-foot ball in foul territory the night before at Progressive Field.

"That's good for bragging rights," Napoli's teammate, Rajai Davis, told MLB.com. "That's an awesome, great feeling. I don't think I've ever hit the ball that far in batting practice. He's doing it in games. That's awesome. We can all admire that." Full Indians leaderboard

Royals: Brandon Moss, July 1, 2017, vs. MIN
Distance: 477 feet (Watch it)
Moss left his mark during his lone season in Kansas City, golfing this pitch to help spur a four-run comeback for the home side against the rival Twins. Moss would retire the following spring, but his power clearly remained in his bat until the end. Full Royals leaderboard

Tigers: J.D. Martinez, July 21, 2015, vs. SEA
Distance: 467 feet (Watch it)
Not to be outdone by Nelson Cruz's 455-foot shot in the top half of the third inning, Martinez one-upped Seattle's slugger in the bottom half with this impressive blast to straightaway center at cavernous Comerica Park. The dinger impressed just about everyone in the ballpark, except perhaps the slugger who hit it.

"It all means the same to me," Martinez told MLB.com about his big fly. "I don't care. People get caught up on [distance]. To me, I really pay no mind. I just hit it, and I just hope it gets out." Full Tigers leaderboard

Twins: Kennys Vargas, June 20, 2017, vs. CWS
Distance: 483 feet (Watch it)
There really wasn't any doubt about this homer as soon as Vargas' bat met this pitch from White Sox starter Derek Holland with a scorching 114.1-mph exit velocity. Vargas' shot climbed high above the bullpen in left-center at Target Field for one of four 450-plus foot homers the first baseman hit in less than 800 at-bats in a Twins uniform. Full Twins leaderboard

Video: CWS@MIN: Vargas crushes a 483-foot home run

White Sox: Avisail Garcia, April 3, 2018, vs. TOR
Distance: 481 feet (Watch it)
Garcia was coming off a terrific 2017 campaign in which he finished second in the AL batting race with a .330 average, but he showed he could be much more than a slap hitter with this prodigious blast at Rogers Centre. Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ's slider caught too much of the plate, and Garcia punished it with a blistering 116.7-mph exit velocity.

"It was a pretty impressive blast, just from standing in the dugout and watching it," White Sox manager Rick Renteria told MLB.com. "Anybody who is a fan of baseball must have been impressed by that shot." Full White Sox leaderboard

AL West

Angels: Mike Trout, July 8, 2015, vs. COL
Distance: 477 feet (Watch it)
Trout's second homer of the night travelled deep to straightaway center field, landing halfway up the bleachers at Coors Field. Better yet, Trout's solo blast tied the ballgame and led to an eventual 3-2 win for the Angels. Full Angels leaderboard

Astros: George Springer, May 31, 2017, vs. MIN
Distance: 473 feet (Watch it)
Springer's blast capped a two-homer day against the Twins, part of a massive series for the eventual World Series champions in which they set a franchise record for runs scored in a three-game series.

"That's all I've got," Springer said of the homer. "That's about all I can hit it." Full Astros leaderboard

Athletics: Matt Olson, Sept. 15, 2017, vs. PHI
Distance: 483 feet (Watch it)
Olson's sky-high blast at Citizens Bank Park came at the peak of an incredibly powerful rookie season in which he crushed 24 homers in just 189 at-bats for Oakland. Phillies starter Mark Leiter Jr. knew he was in trouble as soon as Olson connected; all there was left to do was wait and see where the slugger's blast would eventually land. Full A's leaderboard

Mariners: Nelson Cruz, Sept. 24, 2016, vs. MIN
Distance: 493 feet (Watch it)
Few players in the game can crush a baseball like Cruz, and the Boomstick found the third deck at Target Field with this neck-craning blast. Cruz's shot remains among the longest homer hit outside the thin air of Coors Field, and it came one night after he had launched a different 454-foot homer for Seattle. Full Mariners leaderboard

Video: SEA@MIN: Cruz crushes 493-ft homer

Rangers: Nomar Mazara, May 25, 2016, vs. LAA
Distance: 491 feet (Watch it)
The rookie Mazara raised his profile substantially with this towering drive to the upper deck at Globe Life Park, turning on and punishing an offspeed pitch from Angels starter Hector Santiago.

"That was loud," said Rangers catcher Bobby Wilson of Mazara's dinger. "You need earplugs for that one." Full Rangers leaderboard

National League East

Braves: Freddie Freeman, June 13, 2015, vs. NYM
Distance: 464 feet (Watch it)
Atlanta's most consistent slugger got a hold of this first-inning fastball from Mets ace Jacob deGrom, pulling it high and deep onto the right-center-field bridge at Citi Field. Full Braves leaderboard

Marlins: Giancarlo Stanton, Aug. 6, 2016, vs. COL
Distance: 504 feet (Watch it)
This is it -- the longest home run since Statcast™ started tracking in 2015, and the only one projected at more than 500 feet. The 504-foot distance may have been aided by the thin air at Coors Field, but Stanton has shown plenty of times that he doesn't need any help to clear the fence. Full Marlins leaderboard

Video: Must C Crushed: Stanton connects on 504-foot home run

Mets: Yoenis Cespedes, April 24, 2018 vs. STL
Distance: 463 feet (Watch it)
Cespedes was off to a tough start to the 2018 season, batting .195 with an MLB-most 37 strikeouts entering this Tuesday night matchup in St. Louis. But with a pair of runners on in the fifth, New York's big slugger proved his power was still very much intact. Cespedes tied up the Cardinals with this moonshot that landed next to the "Big Mac Land" seating section in left field, surpassing Justin Ruggiano's 461-foot homer from Aug. 23, 2016, which also came at Busch Stadium. Full Mets leaderboard

Nationals: Michael A. Taylor, Aug. 20, 2015, vs. COL
Distance: 493 feet (Watch it)
Rockies starter Yohan Flande was cruising against the Nationals until Taylor gave his club a humongous game-tying lift on this blast to left-center. Taylor's dinger may have received an assist from the friendly Coors Field environment, but his 110.1-mph exit velocity was no joke. Taylor's ideal 26-degree launch angle also helped this ball go a long way. Full Nationals leaderboard

Phillies: Maikel Franco, July 10, 2016, vs. COL
Distance: 471 feet (Watch it)
Rockies reliever Jason Motte attempted to go up and in on Franco with a fastball, but the Phillies third baseman was ready for the challenge. Franco turned quickly on the pitch, pulling it into the high altitude at Coors Field for a long line-drive homer. Full Phillies leaderboard

NL Central

Brewers: Domingo Santana, July 26, 2017, vs. WSH
Distance: 476 feet (Watch it)
Nationals Park has housed plenty of its own sluggers, from Bryce Harper to Anthony Rendon to Ryan Zimmerman. But it was the visiting Santana who etched his name atop the ballpark's list of longest home runs on this summer evening. Santana turned on an inside fastball from Gio Gonzalez and crushed it over the visitors' bullpen, high into the left-field concourse. Full Brewers leaderboard

Cardinals: Marcell Ozuna, April 3, 2018, vs. MIL
Distance: 479 feet (Watch it)
Ozuna's first Cardinals home run also established him atop his new team's home run distance leaderboard. Facing Brewers starter Chase Anderson, Ozuna connected with a 117.2-mph exit velocity and sent Anderson's offering deep to left-center -- also setting a new Statcast™ mark for the longest homer at Miller Park. Full Cardinals leaderboard

Cubs: Kris Bryant, Sept. 6, 2015, vs. ARI
Distance: 495 feet (Watch it)
Wrigley Field can become a launching pad when the wind blows out toward the bleachers, but even as a rookie, Bryant proved he didn't need much help launching prolific blasts. This one bounced off the new scoreboard in left field -- fittingly right next to Bryant's own picture -- to further build Bryant's prestige with the North Siders. Full Cubs leaderboard

Video: ARI@CHC: Statcast™ on Bryant's blast off scoreboard

Pirates: Pedro Alvarez, Oct. 4, 2015, vs. CIN
Distance: 479 feet (Watch it)
Pittsburgh's hulking slugger decided the right-field seats at PNC Park weren't enough on the final day of the 2015 regular season, instead clearing the bleachers completely and depositing this ball into the Allegheny River. Alvarez simply demolished the pitch, connecting with a 115.4-mph exit velocity and uppercutting with an ideal 29-degree launch angle. Full Pirates leaderboard

Reds: Eugenio Suarez, June 2, 2016, vs. COL
Distance: 465 feet (Watch it)
Listed at just 5-foot-11 and 213 pounds, Suarez struck a blow for undersized infielders with this massive shot to left-center at Coors Field. This was actually Suarez's second homer of the game, capping an impressive evening for the third baseman. Full Reds leaderboard

NL West

D-backs: Jake Lamb, April 29, 2017, vs. COL
Distance: 481 feet (Watch it)
In the days before the humidor, balls flew out of Chase Field. What's surprising about Lamb's blast isn't where it was hit, but the opposing pitcher he victimized. The Rockies' Tyler Anderson is a left-hander, and southpaws overall had been extremely effective against Lamb. But in this at-bat, the platoon disadvantage didn't bother Lamb at all. Full D-backs leaderboard

Dodgers: Joc Pederson, June 2, 2015, at COL
Distance: 477 feet (Watch it)
Considering the Rockies are in their division, it's no surprise that the Dodgers hit their longest homer at Coors Field: a majestic blast by Pederson way up into the center-field bleachers. It came in a series in which Pederson crushed four home runs -- one in each game. Full Dodgers leaderboard

Giants: Brandon Belt, May 22, 2015, at COL
Distance: 475 feet (Watch it)
Another NL West club, another entry from the friendly environment of Coors Field. Belt jumped on a hanging changeup and launched it far into the third deck in right field. This type of blast has been a rarity for the Giants, who hit the second-fewest homers of 420-plus feet (74) from 2015-17, ahead of only the Braves. Full Giants leaderboard

Padres: Franchy Cordero, April 20, 2018 at ARI
Distance: 489 feet (Watch it)
Franchy absolutely crushed this one. The D-backs' Matt Koch grooved Cordero a fastball, and Cordero hammered it 116.3 mph all the way up the scoreboard in dead center at Chase Field, instantly establishing a new longest home run of the 2018 season and a Padres Statcast™ record. He obliterated the team's previous best of 465 feet, which had been set by Melvin Upton Jr. in June of 2016. Cordero's blast is also the longest hit at Chase Field since Statcast™'s introduction in 2015, and the 10th-longest hit by anyone in baseball since 2015. Full Padres leaderboard

Video: SD@ARI: Cordero crushes 489-ft. HR at 116.3 mph

Rockies: Mark Reynolds, July 21, 2016, vs. ATL
Distance: 484 feet (Watch it)
Yes, the Rockies' longest home run came at home. Reynolds, the powerful veteran, got ahead in the count 2-0 against a rookie left-hander, Hunter Cervenka, who fired a fastball over the middle of the plate. Reynolds demolished it at 108.8 mph, sending a drive most of the way up the bleachers beyond the left-center-field wall. Full Rockies leaderboard

ST. LOUIS -- Every day since April 30, the Brewers have gone to bed in postseason position. They either led the National League Central, held one of the two NL Wild Cards outright, or, at worst, they sat in a virtual tie for one of those positions.

That was still true Friday, even after a 5-2 loss to the surging Cardinals at Busch Stadium gave the Brewers seven losses in their last 10 games.

On Saturday, however, it will require a win.

Friday's defeat, set in motion by another rough first inning for Freddy Peralta and an offense that didn't come alive until too late, cut Milwaukee's advantage over St. Louis to one-half game for the second NL Wild Card spot. Meanwhile, the Brewers fell 4 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the NL Central.

The Cardinals have won nine of their last 10 games, and if they prevail again Saturday, the Brewers would find themselves in third place for the first time since May 12, when they were in a virtual tie with the Cubs behind the Cardinals and Pirates.

"Last year, we were really close. This year, we're supposed to finish," said Jesus Aguilar, whose single in the eighth inning provided the Brewers' only runs. "Let's see what happens. We have a great team, great guys. It's going to be tough. It's going to be a good race."

Video: MIL@STL: Aguilar plates 2 with a single to left field

In a matchup of 22-year-old rookie right-handers, the Cardinals' Jack Flaherty out-pitched Peralta. A first-round Draft pick of St. Louis in 2014, Flaherty worked around a pair of baserunners in the first and third innings on the way to six shutout innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven.

Peralta, too, allowed three hits and three walks in six innings, but his baserunners were bunched at the beginning of the game. Marcell Ozuna's two-run single in the first inflated Peralta's first-inning ERA this season to 9.00 in 12 starts. Peralta has surrendered 12 runs on 13 hits and 10 walks in his 12 first innings.

He settled in to retire 15 of the final 16 Cardinals batters he faced beginning in the second inning. The exception was Jedd Gyorko, who homered leading off the fourth inning for a 3-0 St. Louis lead.

"He recovered and gave us six good innings, but we have to get to the bottom of the first inning here," Counsell said. "We did change some things up today. … Unfortunately, same result."

Peralta said the change was hitting the weight room before he took the field to warm up for the game.

"Just trying to find something that works," Peralta said through translator Carlos Brizuela. "I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable early on, but it's something we have to work on."

The Brewers remained scoreless until Aguilar's two-run single in an 0-2 count with the bases loaded in the eighth briefly made it a 3-2 game, before the Cardinals answered right back in the bottom of the inning against Jordan Lyles to seal their victory.

Aguilar's 57 RBIs in two-strike counts are a Brewers franchise record and lead Major League Baseball by a wide margin. Entering Friday's games, Colorado's Nolan Arenado was the runner-up with 39.

MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Lyles struggles in eighth: After Aguilar's hit brought the Brewers within a run, Hicks bounced back to retire slumping Travis Shaw (1-for-16 on the road trip) and Jonathan Schoop (8-for-48 since being traded to the Brewers) to preserve the Cardinals' 3-2 lead. That was significant, since it informed Counsell's decision to send Lyles out for a second inning of work, and to stick with Lyles through a single, a hit batter, a walk and left-handed-hitting Kolten Wong's game-sealing, two-run double. Wong was 0-for-6 lifetime versus Lyles with three strikeouts before that hit.

Video: MIL@STL: Wong plates 2 runs with a double to left

Counsell remains opposed to pitching high-leverage relief aces Josh Hader and Jeremy Jeffress when the Brewers are trailing in a game so they will be available to protect leads. With the season winding down and wins at a premium, is Counsell second-guessing that philosophy?

"No, I don't," he said. "I mean, we need those guys, and if we go on a good stretch, those guys are going to be critical for stretches like that. That's how we're going to win. We're going to win by getting the lead and putting those guys in the game.

"Tonight, Jordan's got to pitch in those situations. We're losing, he's got to hopefully get through that inning. He's certainly capable of getting through that inning. If we get to the last week of the season or the last couple of weeks of the season, yeah, there might be some instances when we're rested that we can pitch guys in games like that."

And he doesn't feel that the season has reached that point yet?

"No, we are not there yet," Counsell said. "There's a game tomorrow and we've got seven guys down there [in the bullpen] and a couple guys that are struggling a little bit that we have to be cautious of. We have to keep these guys fresh for when we have leads."

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Eric Thames made one of the Brewers' most harrowing catches all season, but it came at a cost. Thames exited in the middle of the third with right knee soreness, two innings after a hard collision with Lorenzo Cain on the warning track after the pair converged on Matt Carpenter's long fly ball leading off the bottom of the first inning. Thames made the catch and somehow held on when he smashed face first into the wall while falling to the dirt. He would exit the game two days later due to right knee soreness.

• Thames exits after collision with Cain

Video: MIL@STL: Thames makes catch, collides with Cain

HE SAID IT
"It's really one more game on the schedule. We have a healthy respect for our opponent, but we don't think in terms of who we're playing. We think in terms of how we play." -- Cardinals interim manager Mike Shildt, on chasing the Brewers

UP NEXT
Wade Miley looks to even the series on Saturday, with first pitch at 6:15 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium. The left-hander has faced St. Louis five times in his career for a 4.85 ERA, with his last outing against the Cards coming last season, when he allowed six runs over 5 2/3 innings. Miley has been strong this season with a 2.23 ERA through eight starts. Miles Mikolas will start for St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS -- Eric Thames made one of the Brewers' most harrowing catches all season, but it came at a cost.

Thames exited Friday's 5-2 loss to the Cardinals in the middle of the third with right knee soreness, two innings after a hard collision with Lorenzo Cain on the warning track at Busch Stadium. He was limping significantly in the clubhouse after the game.

Thames, Milwaukee's starting right fielder on Friday, collided with center fielder Cain as the pair converged on Matt Carpenter's long fly ball leading off the bottom of the first inning. Thames made the catch and somehow held on when he smashed face first into the wall while falling to the dirt. His right knee hit the concrete wall under the padding.

"I knew it was going to happen," Thames said of the collision with Cain. "It was one of those balls where somebody has to take charge. You can't really hear each other. I just caught it. It happens. It's been a funny year."

He initially stayed in the game, striking out in the top of the second inning and then manning the outfield in the bottom of the frame. But Hernan Perez took over for Thames on defense in the third.

Asked about his availability for the rest of the series, Thames said, "I'll see [Saturday] morning. A lot of ice."

ST. LOUIS -- Catcher Manny Pina expressed relief upon rejoining the Brewers on Friday after an MRI of his left shoulder in Milwaukee revealed no structural damage from a collision with Cubs infielder Javier Baez on Wednesday.

Pina and Baez tangled at second base in the Brewers' loss at Wrigley Field, and the Milwaukee backstop said he felt movement in his shoulder when Baez tumbled over him. Two days later, Pina took about 20 swings in the batting cage at Busch Stadium and said that while he was still sore, he hoped to be back in game shape by Saturday night.

"Nothing bad," Pina said. "No damage, nothing broke. … I was scared, man. I was scared a lot."

The encouraging MRI was good news for the Brewers, since the only other catcher on the team's full 40-man roster besides the current big league duo of Pina and Erik Kratz is Jacob Nottingham, who remains on the Triple-A disabled list with a fractured wrist. Calling up a reinforcement like Jett Bandy or Christian Bethancourt from Colorado Springs would require freeing a spot.

Like Pina, outfielder Ryan Braun was in day-to-day limbo after his own exit in Wednesday's loss to the Cubs. Braun, who has battled back and rib cage tightness intermittently all season, tweaked his right side trying to make a sliding catch and had to exit in the fifth inning.

Video: MIL@CHC: Braun exits the game with rib cage tightness

Braun took batting practice on Friday and expected to have a better feel for his status afterward.

"He certainly was playing very well. With the injuries, we just have to try to stay ahead of that with him," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

Davies' next step?
Right-hander Zach Davies, still on the disabled list with lower back stiffness, was en route to St. Louis on Friday night after he was unable to clear the fourth inning of his latest Minor League rehab start. Pitching for Colorado Springs at Iowa, Davies was charged with four earned runs on three hits and five walks with two strikeouts. He was lifted at the 79-pitch mark amid a six-run rally.

Asked what was next for Davies, Counsell said, "After he gets here and we talk to him, we'll tell you about that."

Counsell said coaches and club officials had watched video of the outing.

"There were some good signs and some not-so-good signs," Counsell said. "The walks were not a good sign, and he finished the outing early. He didn't complete -- his pitches were in the 70s. But we watched the tape and his stuff was very crisp in the first couple of innings. It didn't end well, and the walks are obviously not something that's characteristic of him."

Another rehabbing Brewers pitcher, reliever Matt Albers, had better results on Thursday for Double-A Biloxi. He struck out five batters over two perfect innings, giving him three scoreless innings so far on a rehab assignment for a hamstring injury.

Albers will pitch again Saturday, Counsell said, "and then we'll see where we're at."

MILWAUKEE -- Brewers manager Craig Counsell drew some laughs a couple of weeks ago when he said Lorenzo Cain "has a little bit of Willie McGee in him." Counsell is old enough to remember watching McGee amble out to center field or take a lead off first base for the Cardinals like he could barely stand, then transform into an electric athlete when the bat met the baseball.

Cain plays with a similar style, as the Brewers learned after bringing him back to Milwaukee as a free agent last offseason.

"He's one of the rare, true five-tool players in baseball right now," Brewers general manager David Stearns said.

Hitting, hitting for power, running, fielding and throwing. Those are the five tools coined by the legendary Branch Rickey, and you'll find most of them in our tour of some of the best tools in the National League Central.

Brewers

The player and his tool: Cain's smooth defense

Why it matters: When the Brewers gave Cain the richest free-agent contract in franchise history -- five years and $80 million -- it was as much about run prevention as run scoring. Cain, along with fellow outfield newcomer and NL All-Star Christian Yelich, has been a boon to both areas, and a big reason the Brewers entered Thursday with the second most defensive runs saved (82) in the Major Leagues, per Fangraphs' data. Milwaukee's outfielders are responsible for 42 of those runs -- the runner-up D-backs had 30 DRS from outfielders -- including Cain's 17. That sure defense helps explain how a Brewers pitching staff without a true No. 1 starter is among Major League Baseball's top 10 in staff ERA.

Video: Must C Catch: Cain robs HR to protect 1-0 lead in 7th

Signature moment this season: Cain did it all in the Brewers' 1-0 win over the Dodgers on July 31, doubling to drive in the game's only run, then robbing Cody Bellinger of a tying home run with a terrific leaping catch in the seventh inning.

"I said, 'Damn,'" Bellinger said. "That's all you can say."

Cardinals

The player and his tool: Matt Carpenter's newfound power

Why it matters: Nobody expected Carpenter to be atop the NL leaderboard with 33 home runs in mid-August, least of all Carpenter himself. His previous career high for homers was 28, and his best OPS was .885. Now Carpenter is within slugging distance of Hall of Famer Johnny Mize's Cardinals record for homers by a left-handed hitter (Mize hit 43 in 1940).

It's all the more remarkable considering Carpenter was hitting .140/.286/.272 on May 15. Entering Tuesday, he has hit .326/.430/.707 with 30 home runs in 81 games since. Carpenter has gone from being benched in May to a bona fide NL Most Valuable Player Award candidate in August.

"It's just not who I am. It's not who I was. It's not the hitter I've ever been," Carpenter said. "I'm developing into somebody I've never dreamt of or tried to be like. I don't have an explanation for it."

Video: Must C Classic: Carpenter slugs 3 homers, 2 doubles

Signature moment this season: Carpenter homered in six straight games from July 14-21, including both ends of a July 21 doubleheader at Wrigley Field. But the signature game of that stretch was the day before, when he slugged three homers and added two doubles in the Cardinals' 18-5 thumping of the Cubs. Kris Bryant is the only other player in Major League history with three homers and two doubles in a game.

Cubs

The player and his tool: Javier Baez's fearless baserunning

Why it matters: Teams don't know what to expect from Baez. If he gets on base, is he running? He should patent his swim move tag. Baez has stolen home twice this year -- the first Cubs player in the past 40 years to do it that many times in a single season -- and entering Thursday, he was one steal away from becoming the first Cubs player with 20 homers and 20 steals in a season since Corey Patterson in 2004.

Video: Must C Crafty: Baez makes elusive slide to steal home

Signature moment this season: In the fourth inning on July 4 against the Tigers, it appeared as if Detroit lefty Francisco Liriano had Baez picked off, but Baez stole second, then scampered to third as first baseman John Hicks' throw sailed into left. Baez considered going home, but he stopped at third. After Addison Russell walked, Baez stole home during a Willson Contreras at-bat.

Asked after the game if it was easy to be so creative on the bases, Baez said yes.

"It's really easy," Baez said. "When [Cubs manager] Joe [Maddon] got here, that's one of the first things he said -- 'If you feel sexy, wear it.' Everybody here is like that."

Pirates

The player and his tool: Gregory Polanco's "rocket" arm

Why it matters: Polanco's is arguably the best of the Pirates' trio of big outfield arms. With Polanco, Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson getting most of the starts, the Bucs led the NL with 27 outfield assists entering Tuesday, headed by Marte's 10 and seven apiece from Dickerson and Polanco. Playing behind a pitching staff that has yielded the fourth-most hits of NL clubs, those outfield canons have come in handy for the division's most surprising team.

Video: STL@PIT: Polanco uncorks 97-mph throw, nabs Carpenter

Signature moment this season: The pregame buzz was about Chris Archer's Pirates debut against the Cardinals on Aug. 3 at PNC Park, but the postgame buzz was about Polanco. With Carpenter on second and two outs in the seventh inning, Polanco gloved a single on the first bounce and fired a 97-mph throw -- manager Clint Hurdle called it a "rocket throw" -- that one-hopped to catcher Francisco Cervelli. He tagged out Carpenter to preserve Pittsburgh's one-run lead in a 7-6 win.

"I didn't move. The throw was perfect," Cervelli said. "Probably the best throw he ever had in his life. Amazing."

Reds

The player and his tool: Billy Hamilton's speed

Why it matters: As Hamilton's offensive production continues to slide, his speed remains a weapon for the Reds -- especially in the field. It helps Hamilton make difficult plays look routine -- and make special plays possible.

Video: Must C Catch: Hamilton robs Carpenter of a home run

Signature moment this season: Hamilton didn't stick the landing, but his catch of Carpenter's deep drive on July 13 at Busch Stadium was still a thing of beauty. Hamilton pulled the baseball back over the wall and landed on his chest before speeding back to the visitors' dugout.

"My face said it all. That was great to be a part of. That was sick," said Amir Garrett, the pitcher at the time. "I've never seen a catch like that before, live. I think that has to be one of the greatest catches I have seen in my life. Billy is, in my opinion, he's the best center fielder in the game. There's not anyone close to No. 1. To have a guy like that behind you, you never know what he's going to do. The only thing I haven't seen is him catching a ball behind his back. He's done everything else."

For the second consecutive year, Major Leaguers will put their personalities and passions on the field when Players' Weekend takes center stage during all games from Friday, Aug. 24, through Sunday, Aug. 26.

Here are the nicknames the Brewers will wear on their backs while sporting colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms:

Video: Get ready, 2018 Players' Weekend is August 24-26

:: Players' Weekend presented by Valspar Stain ::

• Shop for Players' Weekend gear
• 2018 Players' Weekend nicknames
• Best nickname for every team
• All you need to know about Players' Weekend

Brewers
Jesus Aguilar: "EL CAUSA"
Matt Albers: "ALBIE"
Chase Anderson: "TEXAS"
Orlando Arcia: "EL NIÑO"
Jacob Barnes: "KING COBRA"
Ryan Braun: "OCHO"
Corbin Burnes: "BURNESY"
Lorenzo Cain: "LO CAIN"
Jhoulys Chacin: "LA MAKINA"
Zach Davies: "COUNS"
Nick Franklin: "NICKY"
Junior Guerra: "CABEZON"
Josh Hader: "STRICKEN"
Jeremy Jeffress: "JOTA JOTA"
Dan Jennings: "DJ"
Corey Knebel: "BIRD DOG"
Erik Kratz: "KRATZY"
Jordan Lyles: "JORDY"
Wade Miley: "MILES"
Mike Moustakas: "MOOSE"
Jimmy Nelson: "BIG SWEAT"
Freddy Peralta: "KACIKI"
Hernan Perez: "PEPPER"
Manny Pina: "PINEAPPLE"
Jonathan Schoop: "MAMBA"
Travis Shaw: "MAYOR-DDC"
Joakim Soria: "JUNIOR"
Brent Suter: "THE RAPTOR"
Eric Thames: "MR. TEE"
Stephen Vogt: "I BELIEVE"
Taylor Williams: "T. WILLY"
Christian Yelich: "YELI"

The marvel of the 30-30 club is predicated on the rare combination of speed and power it takes to swipe 30 bases and bash 30 homers in the same season. The feat has been pulled off just 60 times in baseball history, though there are a few players who could join the club in 2018, starting with Cleveland's Jose Ramirez, who has already surpassed 30 homers and has 27 steals through Wednesday's action.

• 40-40 club: 40 steals, 40 homers in a season

Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the 30-30 club, ranked in order from the team with the most 30-30 seasons to least -- there are actually eight teams that have never had someone pull off the feat. (Note: We list franchises together, even if the club moved.) 

Giants: 7
Barry Bonds, 1997 (40 HR, 37 SB)
Barry Bonds, 1996 (42 HR, 40 SB)
Barry Bonds, 1995 (33 HR, 31 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1973 (39 HR, 43 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1969 (32 HR, 45 SB)
Willie Mays, 1957 (35 HR, 38 SB)
Willie Mays, 1956 (36 HR, 40 SB)
Mays posted the first two 30-30 seasons in National League history, and narrowly missed the mark in 1958 (29 HR, 31 SB) and '59 (34-27). In the twilight of his career, he saw teammate Bobby Bonds accomplish the feat twice with the Giants (en route to finishing his career with five). The younger Bonds later matched his father with his third, fourth and fifth 30-30 seasons in the late '90s -- no other hitter has notched three straight such campaigns. Remarkably, both of the Bonds came within four homers or steals of another 30-30 campaign three times each.

Mets: 5
David Wright, 2007 (30 HR, 34 SB)
Howard Johnson, 1991 (38 HR, 30 SB)
Howard Johnson, 1989 (36 HR, 41 SB)
Howard Johnson, 1987 (36 HR, 32 SB)
Darryl Strawberry, 1987 (39 HR, 36 SB)
It's surprising to see Strawberry's name on this list only once -- though it should come as no surprise that he also came close in 1984 (26 HR, 27 SB), '85 (29-26), '86 (27-28) and '88 (39-29). Johnson, his teammate for nine seasons, wasn't even an All-Star in '87, when the Mets became one of only two teams ever with two 30-30 players in a season. Only Mike Cameron came close until Wright's career-best '07 campaign.

Video: NYM@CHC: Strawberry swipes bag, joins 30/30 club

Braves: 4
Ron Gant, 1991 (32 HR, 34 SB)
Ron Gant, 1990 (32 HR, 33 SB)
Dale Murphy, 1983 (36 HR, 30 SB)
Hank Aaron, 1963 * (44 HR, 31 SB)
* Milwaukee Braves
Aaron's 30-30 season was just the fourth in history, and he came close again in 1968 (29 HR, 28 SB). Gant came close again when he had 36 homers and 26 steals in 1993. In Chipper Jones' NL MVP Award-winning year of 1999, he slugged 45 homers and swiped 25 bags, which is Atlanta's closest call since then.

Rangers: 4
Ian Kinsler, 2011 (32 HR, 30 SB)
Ian Kinsler, 2009 (31 HR, 31 SB)
Alfonso Soriano, 2005 (36 HR, 30 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1978 (31 HR, 43 SB)
Bonds posted the last of his then-unheard-of five 30-30 seasons in 1978, starting the year with the White Sox before posting the majority of his homers (29) and steals (37) in 130 games with the Rangers. His five 30-30 campaigns was matched only by his son, Barry, though Soriano also came close with four. The consistent Kinsler's only 30-30 campaigns came in the only two 30-steal seasons of his career.

Video: TEX@LAA: Kinsler joins 30-30 club with steal of third

Astros: 3
Carlos Beltran, 2004 (38 HR, 42 SB)
Jeff Bagwell, 1999 (42 HR, 30 SB)
Jeff Bagwell, 1997 (43 HR, 31 SB)
Beltran actually split his memorable 2004 season between Kansas City and Houston, coming over via trade just ahead of the non-waiver Trade Deadline. Beltran swiped a career-high 42 bases that year, including 28 in just 90 games with the Astros. Bagwell, who was never overly touted for his speed, quietly swiped 61 of his career 202 over the 1997 and '99 seasons. 

Video: HOU@CIN: Bagwell is first Astro to join 30-30 club

Brewers: 3
Ryan Braun, 2012 (41 HR, 30 SB)
Ryan Braun, 2011 (33 HR, 33 SB)
Tommy Harper, 1970 (31 HR, 38 SB)
Coming off a 73-steal campaign with the expansion Seattle Pilots in 1969, Harper knocked a career-high 31 homers in '70 for the first 30-30 season in the American League since Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns in '22. Braun's two 30-30 seasons were the only 30-steal campaigns of his career, for which he won the NL MVP Award in 2011.

Video: MIL@CIN: Braun homers twice to join 30-30 club

Dodgers: 3
Matt Kemp, 2011 (39 HR, 40 SB)
Raul Mondesi, 1999 (33 HR, 36 SB)
Raul Mondesi, 1997 (30 HR, 32 SB)
Davey Lopes, Pedro Guerrero and Kirk Gibson all came close, but Mondesi finally became the first Dodger in the 30-30 club with the only 30-steal campaigns of his 13-year career in 1997 and '99. Kemp flirted with the feat in 2009 (26 HR, 34 SB) before achieving it in '11 with a league-leading 39 homers and 126 RBIs to go with a career-best 40 steals. He lost the NL MVP Award to Braun, a fellow 30-30 club member in '11.

Video: COL@LAD: Kemp joins 30-30 club with homer in seventh

Nationals: 3
Alfonso Soriano, 2006 (46 HR, 41 SB)
Vladimir Guerrero, 2002 * (39 HR, 40 SB)
Vladimir Guerrero, 2001 * (34 HR, 37 SB)
* Montreal Expos
Guerrero had two 30-steal seasons in his 16-year career, and he made the most of both with a pair of 30-30 campaigns, narrowly missing the fourth 40-40 season in history in 2002. Four years later, following the franchise's move to the nation's capital, Soriano recorded the most homers ever in a 30-30 campaign (his fourth) and registered the fourth and final 40-40 season to date.

Phillies: 3
Jimmy Rollins, 2007 (30 HR, 41 SB)
Bobby Abreu, 2004 (30 HR, 40 SB)
Bobby Abreu, 2001 (31 HR, 36 SB)
Abreu's 2001 and '04 campaigns were the finest of his career, representing the two highest homer and steal totals of his 18 seasons in the Major Leagues. Rollins was always a threat on the basepaths, but his power only began to emerge later in his career, culminating in a career-high 30 homers, 41 steals and league-leading triple (20) and run (139) totals in his 2007 NL MVP Award-winning campaign.

Reds: 3
Brandon Phillips, 2007 (30 HR, 32 SB)
Barry Larkin, 1996 (33 HR, 36 SB)
Eric Davis, 1987 (37 HR, 50 SB)
In 1987, Davis joined the 30-30 club in style, becoming the first player to do so with 50 steals (only Barry Bonds has joined him since) -- and he only played in 129 games. A season earlier, he was only three homers shy of an astonishing 30-80 season. Davis and Rickey Henderson remain the only members of the 20-80 club. Larkin's 33 homers in '96 were by far a career high, as were Phillips' 30 long balls in 2007.

Video: HOU@CIN: Phillips joins 30-30 club with 30th homer

Rockies: 3
Larry Walker, 1997 (49 HR, 33 SB)
Dante Bichette, 1996 (31 HR, 31 SB)
Ellis Burks, 1996 (40 HR, 32 SB)
The 1996 Blake Street Bombers were the second team in history ('87 Mets) with two 30-30 hitters in the same season. Bichette wasn't so much of a surprise -- he'd posted double-digit homers and steals in the three previous years. But Burks raised some eyebrows with his 30-30 campaign, as he'd stolen a combined 36 bases in the previous six seasons. Walker's 49 homers and 33 steals were both career highs as he won the NL MVP Award in '97.

Yankees: 3
Alfonso Soriano, 2003 (38 HR, 35 SB)
Alfonso Soriano, 2002 (39 HR, 41 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1975 (32 HR, 30 SB)
Though Mickey Mantle (31 HR, 21 SB) came reasonably close in 1959, Bonds became the first Yankee in the 30-30 club in '75. Rickey Henderson had a pair of 20-80 campaigns, including a 28-homer, 87-steal season in '86, but it was Soriano that ultimately joined Bonds with the first two of his four 30-30 seasons. Since then, Curtis Granderson came closest, with 41 homers and 25 steals in 2011.

Video: NYY@BAL: Soriano clubs 30th homer to join 30-30 club

Angels: 2
Mike Trout, 2012 (30 HR, 48 SB)
Bobby Bonds, 1977 (37 HR, 41 SB)
Trout took the Majors by storm during his rookie season in 2012, compiling a 30-30 year that hasn't been matched since. Some argue that had it not been for Miguel Cabrera winning the first Triple Crown in 45 years that Trout would've won the AL MVP Award that season. Bonds spent parts of just two seasons in Anaheim, and he made his second count. 

Video: LAA@TEX: Trout becomes youngest member of 30/30 club

Blue Jays: 2
Jose Cruz, 2001 (34 HR, 32 SB)
Shawn Green, 1998 (35 HR, 35 SB)
The 1998 Jays missed the playoffs despite Green posting the first 30-30 season in team history and Jose Canseco coming a steal shy (46 HR, 29 SB) of joining him. The 35 steals were a career high for Green, who hadn't posted more than 16 homers or steals in a season to that point. Cruz more than doubled his previous career high in steals for his 30-30 campaign.

Cubs: 2
Sammy Sosa, 1995 (36 HR, 34 SB)
Sammy Sosa, 1993 (33 HR, 36 SB)
Sosa began his career with decent power and great speed before morphing into the feared slugger that he became in his prime. During his transition, his power and speed came together for a pair of 30-30 campaigns, including his first All-Star season in 1995. Ryne Sandberg had come close in '90 (40 HR, 25 SB), and Corey Patterson came close most recently (24-32) in 2004.

Video: PIT@CHC: Sosa joins 30/30 club for second time

Indians: 2
Grady Sizemore, 2008 (33 HR, 38 SB)
Joe Carter, 1987 (32 HR, 31 SB)
Carter's only 30-steal season of his 16-year career gained him entry to the 30-30 club in 1987 after he came a homer and a steal shy a year earlier. He threatened again a season later (27 HR, 27 SB). Before injuries derailed a promising career, Sizemore was a perennial 30-30 threat, finally achieving the feat in 2008 with career bests in both homers and steals.

Video: Sizemore's leadoff homer gets him into the 30-30 club

Marlins: 2
Hanley Ramirez, 2008 (33 HR, 35 SB)
Preston Wilson, 2000 (31 HR, 36 SB)
Ramirez burst onto the scene with a pair of 50-steal seasons to start his career, but as his power numbers increased, his stolen-base numbers dwindled, and though he came close in 2007 (29 HR, 51 SB), his only 30-30 season came a year later. Wilson swiped 87 bags in four full seasons with the Marlins, and a career-high total of 36 came in '00.

Video: Hanley Ramirez joins the 30-30 club

Pirates: 2
Barry Bonds, 1992 (34 HR, 39 SB)
Barry Bonds, 1990 (33 HR, 52 SB)
Bonds' 52 steals in 1990 were the most in a 30-30 campaign, putting him in an elite group -- he and the Reds' Eric Davis (in '87) are the only members of the 30-50 club. Needless to say, he won the first of his seven NL MVP Awards that year, and he repeated the feat two years later, winning another MVP Award in his walk year before joining the Giants in free agency. More recently, Jason Bay, Nate McLouth and Andrew McCutchen have come close.

Video: PHI@PIT: Bonds hits 30th homer to join 30-30 club

Athletics: 1
Jose Canseco, 1988 (42 HR, 40 SB)
Forget 30-30 -- how about 40-40? Canseco's memorable 1988 campaign saw him lead the Majors with 42 homers and 124 RBIs en route to the AL MVP Award, and he became not only the first in franchise history to 30-30, but he also became the first in baseball history to 40-40. Only three others have matched the feat since.

Video: OAK@MIL: Canseco becomes first player to go 40/40

Mariners: 1
Alex Rodriguez, 1998 (42 HR, 46 SB)
Many don't associate Rodriguez with speed anymore, but he stole double-digit bases in 13 of his first 14 full seasons in the Major Leagues. A-Rod posted lofty homer and RBI totals as a 22-year-old shortstop in 1998, and he also ran wild that season, swiping a career-high 46 bags (but also being caught 13 times), posting one of only four 40-40 seasons in history.

Orioles: 1
Ken Williams, 1922 * (39 HR, 37 SB)
* St. Louis Browns
The idea of a 30-30 season before the end of the dead ball era in 1920 was far-fetched, but with the emergence of sluggers like Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby, it became at least a possibility -- though Ruth wasn't exactly known for his speed. Williams had both the power and speed tools, though, and in '22, with Ruth suspended for 60 games to open the season, Williams led the league in homers and swiped 37 bags for the first 30-30 campaign in baseball history.

Red Sox: 1
Jacoby Ellsbury, 2011 (32 HR, 39 SB)
For as long as the storied Red Sox franchise has been around, it took until Ellsbury's tremendous 2011 campaign, the only season of his career with more than 16 homers, for Boston to finally have a hitter join the 30-30 club. Carl Yastrzemski (40 HR, 23 SB) came close in 1970, as did Nomar Garciaparra (30 HR, 22 SB) in '97, and Mookie Betts is on pace to join Ellsbury in 2018, boasting 27 homers and 24 steals with over a month remaining in the season.

Video: BOS@NYY: Ellsbury homers to become part of 30-30 club

Cardinals: 0
Closest call: Ray Lankford, 1998 (31 HR, 26 SB)
For all of their rich history, the Cardinals perhaps suprisingly haven't had a player compile a 30-30 season. Lankford was perhaps the closest to accomplish the feat, coming just four stolen bases shy in 1998. 

D-backs: 0
Closest call: Paul Goldschmidt, 2016 (24 HR, 32 SB)
A perennial threat on the bases -- in spite of his size, stature and position -- Goldschmidt stole a career-high 32 bases in 2016, but he did so in a year where he had a power drought, at least by his standards, which is why he's included here. Goldschmidt had clubbed 30 homers in three of his six full seasons entering '18. In an era where clubs are becoming more apprehensive on the basepaths, the D-backs remain one of the most aggressive. Perhaps they won't be without a member for long. 

Padres: 0
Closest call: Wil Myers, 2016 (28 HR, 28 SB)
Myers came just two homers and two stolen bases shy of becoming the first player in Friars history to join the coveted club during his All-Star season in 2016. 

Rays: 0
Closest call: Melvin Upton Jr., 2012 (28 HR, 31 SB)
Upton put together one of his best seasons in 2012, coming just two homers shy of becoming the first Rays player to join the 30-30 club. Upton's 31 stolen bases that year were impressive, but three times in his career he exceeded 40. His 28 homers in '12 were a personal high, and he clubbed them in the final year before he hit free agency. That offseason, Upton signed a massive multiyear contract with the Braves. 

Royals: 0
Closest call: Carlos Beltran, 2002 (29 HR, 35 SB)
There can't be a more credible close call here than an actual member of the 30-30 club, and despite coming just one homer shy in 2002, he went on to join the club two seasons later, in a year he was traded from the Royals to the Astros. 

Tigers: 0
Closest call: Kirk Gibson, 1985 (29 HR, 30 SB)
Gibson clubbed a career-high 29 in 1985, coming just one deep fly shy of being the lone Tiger in the franchise's rich history in the 30-30 club. 

Twins: 0
Closest call: Corey Koskie, 2001 (26 HR, 27 SB)
No Twins player has come all that close to joining the 30-30 club other than Koskie, who put together his best offensive year in 2001 but didn't reach either of the baselines.

White Sox: 0
Closest call: Magglio Ordonez, 2001 (31 HR, 25 SB)
The six-time All-Star had one of his best seasons in 2001, leading the team with 25 steals. No White Sox player has come all that more close to joining the club, though, before or since. 

CHICAGO -- The Brewers followed one of their most complete victories of the season with an ugly defeat, an 8-4 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday in which starter Junior Guerra was knocked out in the fourth inning, Ryan Braun and Manny Pina exited with injuries, and the Cubs ran up an early lead with help from Milwaukee miscues.

Now comes another stiff test. On to St. Louis.

The Brewers fell three games behind the National League Central-leading Cubs and saw their Wild Card edge over the third-place-and-charging Cardinals shrink to one game after the Cardinals won again Wednesday night and pending St. Louis' outcome against Washington on Thursday. The Brewers and Cardinals begin a three-game weekend series at Busch Stadium on Friday.

"It's not unexpected," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of the Cardinals' recent rise in the standings. "The Pirates were the team a couple of weeks ago and now the Cardinals are making a run. That's the division. That's not a surprise. It doesn't surprise me. You expected one of those teams to make a serious challenge at it and right now the Cardinals are doing it."

Video: MIL@CHC: Guerra, Braun, Counsell on 8-4 loss

Anthony Rizzo gave Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs an early lead with a two-run home run off Guerra that found the left-field basket in the first inning, but if any frame represented what kind of day it was for the visitors, it was the third.

A one-out triple for leadoff hitter Javier Baez put the Cubs in business, and they cashed in with Jason Heyward's RBI double off a sliding Braun's glove, an error charged to first baseman Eric Thames, coupled with the debatable decision not to challenge the call at the bag on that play, as well as a pair of Guerra wild pitches for a 4-0 Chicago lead.

Jonathan Schoop and Thames delivered successive run-scoring hits in the top of the fourth, but the Cubs answered back with three more runs in the bottom of that frame while chasing Guerra from the game. Rizzo greeted reliever Dan Jennings with a pop-fly RBI single that dropped because second baseman Travis Shaw, shifted on the play and without sunglasses, lost the ball in the sun.

Video: MIL@CHC: Schoop doubles home Shaw in the 4th inning

"I thought Junior didn't pitch poorly at all. They hit it where we weren't," said Counsell, who conceded the Brewers were burned by their shifts, and by playing their big-boy infield with Shaw at second base and Schoop at shortstop. "We had a couple of plays to get out of the inning. We just didn't make them.

"We know the trade-off we're making, but the positive, for me, is the experience. I think we learned some things today. Johnny Schoop learned some things today that we can take and use and be better at next time. Going into this, we knew there were some things they were going to have to learn on the field, and today was the day that happened."

Guerra was charged with seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. He entered the day with a 1.74 ERA in eight career games (five starts) against the Cubs, including two quality starts this season.

"It felt like two different games," Guerra said of the series. "[Jhoulys] Chacin went deep into the game [on Tuesday], and today, it kind of flipped on us."

Of the emotional ups and downs late in the season, Braun said, "That's what makes it fun, right? You want the games to be meaningful. You want to feel that emotion every day, win or lose, when you get to this point of the year. The wins feel better and the losses hurt more."

The Cardinals could be just as formidable a foe this weekend. St. Louis entered its game on Thursday night on an eight-game winning streak.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Braun's sliding attempt: Braun tweaked his right rib cage trying to catch Heyward's double but was hopeful he's just day to day. Braun has been one of the Brewers' hottest hitters and is coming off a two-homer afternoon on Tuesday that gave him a .668 slugging percentage over a 15-game span.

"It happened on that play, but it didn't impact my ability to catch that ball," said Braun, who wasn't sure whether that play would have made a difference in the outcome. More >

Video: MIL@CHC: Braun exits the game with rib cage tightness

Non-challenge: After Braun's near miss, Thames had a chance to help Guerra when Rizzo hit a bouncer off first base. Thames muffed it but then flipped to Guerra, who tried a swipe tag and immediately signalled to the dugout for a challenge when the initial call was safe. With only 30 seconds to decide, the Brewers' replay official sent word to the dugout to pass. But one slow-motion replay from Milwaukee's television feed showed Guerra tagging Rizzo on the shoulder before he stepped on first base.

"They have a lot of angles, but there's a time thing to it, as well," Counsell said. "When they get each feed, that's part of the equation."

Was Guerra surprised the team didn't challenge?

"Yeah, I was a little surprised, because I knew I tagged him," Guerra said. "At the same time, you always know that there are different angles. They probably didn't want to waste a challenge if they didn't think it was clear enough to challenge it."

Video: MIL@CHC: Rizzo called safe on a close call at first

Rally fizzles in seventh: The Brewers made things interesting in the seventh, when they scored twice and had the bases loaded with one out with Shaw and Schoop due to hit after chasing Hendricks and reliever Carl Edwards Jr. Lefty Justin Wilson retired Shaw on a popout in a 2-0 count, and right-hander Steve Cishek got Schoop to line out to the left-field gap.

"We certainly had a shot," Counsell said. "Their outfield defense helped them a lot today."

Video: MIL@CHC: Cishek induces flyout to strand bases loaded

HE SAID IT
"There's a lot of folks who would've been running for the hills if we lost. ... You can't overreact. The power of 24 hours is evident between last night and today. I can't emphasize that enough. If you want to ride the emotional roller coaster, man, it will wipe you out." -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon

UP NEXT
Coming off a loss in Atlanta in which he allowed seven earned runs, rookie right-hander Freddy Peralta gets the ball for the opener of the Brewers' weekend series in St. Louis. He'll pitch opposite right-hander Jack Flaherty at 7:15 p.m. CT at Busch Stadium.

CHICAGO -- Ryan Braun was day to day with a tight right rib cage, and Manny Pina was headed back to Milwaukee for an MRI scan of his left shoulder in the wake of the Brewers' painful 8-4 loss to the Cubs on Wednesday at Wrigley Field.

A day after he smashed a a pair of home runs in a shutout victory, Braun felt discomfort in his side while attempting a sliding catch in the third inning and he departed in the fifth with what has been a recurring issue for the 34-year-old outfielder. Braun has endured two stints on the 10-day disabled list for what was officially termed back stiffness, but the second instance also involved his side.

"Hopefully we caught it soon enough," Braun said. "Anything in the rib cage is always kind of touch and go. You know more about it the next day."

Video: MIL@CHC: Guerra, Braun, Counsell on 8-4 loss

There was a sign something was amiss in the fourth inning, when Braun tried to bunt against Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks. When Braun's spot came up again in the fifth with runners on first and second, Hernan Perez pinch-hit and grounded into a double play.

"I don't anticipate making a quick move with this one but if it lingers, we'll have to make a move," manager Craig Counsell said.

Video: MIL@CHC: Pina gets kicked in shoulder, exits game

The Brewers also lost banged-up catcher Pina in the seventh inning after he tangled at second base with Cubs All-Star Javier Baez. Pina was scrambling back to the bag after Christian Yelich's lineout when Baez made hard contact with Pina's left shoulder. Counsell and athletic trainer Dave Yaeger came out to check Pina, who remained in the game and scored one of Milwaukee's two runs in the inning. Erik Kratz took over behind the plate for the bottom of the seventh.

"I feel a little sore right now, my shoulder," Pina said. "The impact was right in the shoulder. Right after they took me out of the game, they did a couple of exercises, and I was fine. But after ice, it's sore a little bit."

When Baez impacted his shoulder, Pina said, "I felt it move around a little bit and popped it back. But that's the game. We always want to play hard and that's part of the game."