Brewers’ players, from left, Ryan Braun, Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich celebrate after defeating the Chicago Cubs 1-0 Wednesday in Milwaukee. (AP photo)

Lorenzo Cain homered and Jhoulys Chacin combined with three relievers on a six-hitter to pace the Brewers past Chicago, 1-0 on Wednesday, even as Maddon used two pitchers and a catcher in left field in the eighth inning.

The Brewers improved to 3-8 this season against the Cubs and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of second-place Chicago in the NL Central. Seven of the 11 games between the two have been shutouts, five by Chicago.

“We’re a good baseball team and we know they’re a good baseball team,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “This series wasn’t going to decide anything, but we know that that’s a team that’s going to be there in the end, so wins against them are important.”

Chacin (6-1) allowed four hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking four to win his sixth consecutive decision. Jeremy Jeffress pitched the seventh, Josh Hader struck out the side in the eighth and Cory Knebel worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.

The Brewers' Jesus Aguilar reacts during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday in Milwaukee. (AP photo)

“Their guy was really good at keeping us off-balance,” Maddon said. “He is not overpowering by any means but he pitches well. Sometimes that gives us a lot of trouble when a guy can pitch like that. We had a couple opportunities. We didn’t square him up at all really.”

Mike Montgomery (2-2) allowed only two hits in six innings, both by Cain. He struck out four and walked one in his fourth start since replacing injured Yu Darvish in the rotation.

Cain drove a 3-1 pitch over the wall in left with one out in the third for his eighth homer. He also opened the first inning with a single.

“It was the only run today, but it ended up winning us a ballgame,” Cain said. “That just shows how great of a job the pitching has been doing. We’ve definitely got to get going and score some more runs. We’re definitely putting too much pressure on our pitchers as a whole.”