CHICAGO -- After clinching the National League Central, the Chicago Cubs continued to rest many of their regulars. And the Milwaukee Brewers took advantage.

Ryan Braun hit two home runs, Chris Carter crushed a grand slam and Domingo Santana added a solo shot as the Brewers routed the Cubs 11-3 on Saturday afternoon.

The Brewers (67-82) have a chance to win the four-game series that concludes Sunday.

"Over the last three weeks, we've played a lot of good teams. We've probably played our best baseball of the year," Braun said. "It's encouraging to see guys just continuing to compete."

Braun smacked a pair of two-run shots and hit an RBI single against a Cubs team that played mostly reserves after capturing the division title on Thursday.

"We missed location on several pitches and give them credit -- they did not miss the baseball," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

And the Cubs (94-54) may be concerned about their ace. In an attempt to become the league's first 18-game winner, Cubs starter Jake Arrieta (17-7) allowed four runs (three earned), struck out five but walked four in six innings.

"Jake did not have his typical command," Maddon said.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner's ERA in September is 4.15.

"Up until the sixth, it was a really good outing. It turned into just pretty average," Arrieta said.

The right-hander has walked 21 in his past six starts.

"I'm not concerned with it," Arrieta said. "Just need to find that comfort with the sinker in the strike zone, first pitch. Then after that, it opens up a lot of doors. We're working on it.

"Got a couple starts left before October and just to prepare for that, that's the mindset."

Arrieta has walked at least four batters in eight of his 29 starts. He leads the league with 15 wild pitches.

"We got to figure out what exactly is going wrong," Maddon said.

"It's fixable," he added. "We have some ideas. We'll definitely go over it with him. In spite of that, look at what he's done to this point. If we can get him to get better command of his fastball with the next two starts, everything else will play off that."

Meanwhile, Brewers rookie Zach Davies (11-7) surrendered three runs and seven hits in five innings.

Though Maddon sat several regulars, infielder Kris Bryant asked to be in the lineup. He delivered with an RBI triple in the first inning. Chris Coghlan followed with a two-run homer, his first of the season with the Cubs. He has six overall; the other five were with Oakland.

After Coghlan's homer, Davies struck out three straight.



The Brewers scored a run in the fourth on Braun's single after Scooter Gennett reached on third baseman Tommy La Stella's error and advanced on a wild pitch.

The Cubs loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but Davies got a strikeout and a double play to prevent any scoring.

The Brewers took a 4-3 lead on Braun's two-run shot in the sixth. In the inning, Milwaukee scored three runs, including Gennett's RBI double, after Jonathan Villar walked and stole second.

"Just poor execution," Arrieta said.

Braun hit his second home run in the eighth off Carl Edwards Jr. for a 6-3 lead. Braun now has 30 home runs.

"I never have specific statistical goals, but 30 is a nice big, round number," Braun said. "I thought coming into the year I had a chance to hit a lot more than that. But hopefully I finish strong and we'll see what happens."

Santana followed with his ninth homer, which cleared the left-field bleachers.

"There's a lot on the line," Braun said. "There are a lot of guys trying to prove themselves as big leaguers for the first time. Everybody's working to hopefully come into next year with an opportunity to win a job in the major leagues again."

Braun struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth before Carter hit his grand slam off the videoboard.

The performance left Maddon impressed with the upstart Brewers.

"I have not met the GM yet, but I would shake his hand," Maddon said. "They've done a nice job of the people they've brought in, some athletes, big strong guys. Their defense is really good."

NOTES: Brewers 3B Jonathan Villar moved into third place for stolen bases in a season in team history with his 55th in the first inning. He passed Pat Listach, who had 54 in 1992. Villar added another in the sixth inning. ... The Brewers recalled OF Michael Reed from Triple-A Colorado Springs after OF Keon Broxton suffered a season-ending injury Friday. Broxton broke his right wrist crashing into the center field wall during Milwaukee's 5-4 loss to the Cubs. Reed went 2-for-6 in seven previous games with the Brewers this season. ... Brewers RHP Junior Guerra (9-3, 2.81 ERA) is being shut down for the rest of season because he has reached his innings limit, manager Craig Counsell said. Guerra is healthy, Counsell added. ... Cubs OF Jorge Soler did not play Saturday against the Brewers because of a tight side. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon said the team has yet to decide whether LHP Mike Montgomery will remain in the starting rotation. Montgomery has been pitching as the sixth starter.