Still chasing Brewers, Cubs driven to go deeper than last year’s playoff exit: ‘It’s on your mind every day’

For a brief moment, after a win last Friday, the Cubs were closer to the Brewers than they had been since the end of May, shrinking the gap between them and their division-leading rivals to 4 1/2 games. Though only slightly, the gap is larger now. Another year, another seemingly relentless grip on the NL Central by the team from north of the border. For the last couple months, the Cubs have been as good as they come, with a 35-16 record since June 11 that’s tops in the National League and ranks…