The month ended for Chicago Cubs baseball far better than July began. In fact, I’m confident not even the Cubbies themselves could have predicted this outcome.

In downing Milwaukee, 11-4, Thursday afternoon, the Cubs completed the four-game sweep of their Central Division rival and opened up a five-game lead in the process.

And to think just a mere five days ago the Cubs and Brewers were deadlocked for the division lead. Not only was Milwaukee tied with the dastardly rival from the south, but they had a slumping Cubs team coming to their home park for a four-game set.

So much for wishful thinking.

All the Chicago Cubs and their loyal fan base did was move Wrigley Field about 90 miles north. Of course, without the charm, ambiance and ivory. The results were favorable just the same.

Not only did the Cubs perform a game, set, match on Milwaukee, but they made it four to love to boot. Except there’s no love lost between these two.

In the ninth inning of today’s contest, Milwaukee reliever Eric Gagne threw behind Cubs center fielder Jim Edmonds on a 3-0 count. Gagne was ejected and Edmonds added a walk to his two home-run, five RBI day.

It was icing on the Cubbie cake of success, while for the young, brash Brewers it revealed, perhaps, a fragile psyche. After Monday’s 6-4 thriller win, over C.C. Sabathia, it was anyone’s guess how the Brewers would respond.

Here’s a clue: 7-1, 7-2, 11-4. So much for mano y mano in this late July meeting. It was more like mano y muchacho.

“No one is happy after a game like this,” Brewers manager Ned Yost said. “We don’t like the fact that we allowed their fans to come into our park and have a four-day party. But that’s our fault.”

I wouldn’t call it exactly all your fault, Ned. We in Cubdom would like to think the Cubs had a little something to do with it as well.

There’s plenty of baseball yet to be played. And the Brewers have a far more favorable schedule than the Cubs playing the majority of their games against teams with below .500 records.

Still, it was a nice way to end a month. Plus, it was kind of fun putting carpet burns in someone else’s rug for a change.