The Milwaukee Brewers (8-7) knew this to get into second place in the National League Central division they would have to sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates (7-8).

Did they ever! Milwaukee outscored the Pirates 36-1 during their three games in Pittsburgh, including their 20-0 victory Thursday afternoon.

The game established a Pirates record for their worst shutout loss. The Bucs most previous shutout loss was an 18-0 whitewash at the hands of George McQuillan and the Philadelphia Phillies on July 11, 1910 at Forbes Field.

The Brewers established a franchise mark by holding at least an eight run lead in four straight games. During this winning streak of the same length the Brew Crew has outscored their opposition 47-8.

What was so pleasing to Brewers manager Ken Macha about this game was the players who were supposed to shine for Milwaukee this year did.

Prince Fielder, playing in his major league leading 200th straight game, hit his first home run of the year, Randy Wolf (2-1) hurled six shutout innings, and Trevor Hoffman, though certainly not in a save situation, set the Bucs down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth in his first pitching appearance in six days.

Fielder’s homer in the top of the second to centerfield came off Daniel McCutchen (0-2), who has failed to last beyond the fourth inning of any of his three starts this season.

The 27-year-old right-hander also allowed a 3-run homer to Ryan Braun, his fifth of the season, in the top of the third and was chased after allowing hits to Alcides Escobar and Carlos Gomez in the fourth.

D.J. Carrasco was brought in, but he promptly allowed the two runners to score when Fielder met him with a short, two-out single to center.

Casey McGehee then extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single to center by driving in Braun, who had reached earlier on a walk, to give Milwaukee a 7-0 advantage.

The Brewers added three more in the fifth inning on backup catcher George Kottaras’ first homer of the year and Braun’s two out, 2-run double to right.

That was enough to chase Carrasco, but Joel Hanrahan allowed six runs in the top of the seventh. Joe Inglett set the pace of the frame when he led off with a pinch-hit triple to right and scored on a Richie Weeks single.

Craig Council, who came on to spell McGehee at third base in the bottom of the sixth had a 2-run single while Jim Edmonds, who has collected 11 hits in his last 24 at bats, hit his first homer of the year during the inning, a 3-run blast to right that gave Milwaukee a 16-0 advantage.

A sacrifice fly from Kottaras, a single by Escobar, bases loaded walk from Jody Gerut and single by Manny Para off Bucs’ closer Octavio Dotel in the top of the ninth plated the Brewers’ final four runs.

After 11 days on the road Milwaukee host the Chicago Cubs on Friday at 7:10 p.m. CDT, while the Bucs travel to Houston for a three game series against the Astros. First pitch at Minute Maid Park is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT.