Brewers start series against Phillies with NL Central lead

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Brewers are starting a series in Philadelphia Tuesday night, July 18 and they're playing with a lot of confidence.

The Brewers are undefeated in the second half of the season after a three-game sweep of the Reds in Cincinnati. With the three wins, Milwaukee took over first place in the NL Central from the Reds.

Two key factors are behind the Brew Crew's recent surge. Christian Yelich is beginning to hit like the MVP version of Yelich from 2018-2019. Yelich hit home runs Saturday and Sunday in Cincinnati, and he's hitting .356 with 12 RBIs in the month of July.

The other focal point in the Brewers resurgence is on the mound. The Brewers shut out the Reds in three consecutive games, going back to the day before the All-Star Break. They've allowed just three runs in the second half of the season.

Milwaukee's momentum will be put to the test over the next few weeks. Their next 12 games come against teams with winning records, including another three-game set with Cincinnati next week. The Brewers entered Tuesday's action with a two-game lead over the Reds in the division standings.