"In some ways, it makes it a little easier," said infielder Craig Counsell. "You just worry more about yourself. You know if you win, you're going to the playoffs. You don't look at all the other stuff. You just worry about winning and you figure you're in.

"It seems pretty simple to me. We just need to win. We don't have to worry about the other people's schedules, what they're doing. We just worry about who we're playing.

"We don't have to watch the scoreboard. That really doesn't matter, for us. Every game counts the same. It doesn't matter who you're playing."

Left fielder Ryan Braun agreed with that assessment, noting that with six games remaining against the Cubs, the division title is still within reach.

"We've viewed every game in the second half as important," said Braun. "We don't want to get to September and have to make up ground (to make the playoffs)."

BREWERS 7, PIRATES 0: CC Sabathia might never lose another game. Sabathia remained perfect (9-0) for the Brewers by pitching a one-hitter -- and it was a tainted hit at that. The only hit came in the fifth inning Sunday when Sabathia failed to field a come-backer from Andy LaRoche that was ruled an infield hit. The Pirates didn't even come close to another hit while drawing three walks and striking out 11 times. The Brewers boosted their record to a season-best 80-56 and now are 11-1 against the Pirates this season. They finished off a 20-7 August, their first 20-win month since September 1992. Sabathia and Pirates right-hander Jeff Karstens were locked in a tight pitching duel until the Brewers scored twice in the seventh and four times in the eighth. Prior to that, their only run came on Rickie Weeks' homer to lead off the game.