Though the Cincinnati Reds snapped their 14-game winning streak and kept them from sweeping a fifth straight series, the Brewers are anchored in the No. 1 spot on all MLB power boards this week. Here are a few national observations why:

Paul Skenes kept the American League's top team in relative check for six innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of some sloppy play by the Toronto Blue Jays to pull away for a 5-2 victory...

The Reds, who still have not been swept all season, used a gem from starter Andrew Abbott, who just slightly outdueled Milwaukee’s José Quintana in a battle of southpaws, and go-ahead sacrifice fly ...

My Brewers vs. Cubs predictions call for a low-scoring result in the fourth meeting of their five-game set. Find out why in my MLB picks for Wednesday, August 20. Chicago Cubs starter Colin Rea has been sneaky good down the stretch and allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his past nine starts for a 3.35 ERA and 1.12 WHIP.