CHICAGO -- Last year, it didn't happen until August 2. But this year, the Chicago Cubs reached 10 games over .500 just 20 games into the season. The common theme between both moments? In both games to reach 10 over, the Cubs beat the same opponent, the Milwaukee Brewers, by the exact same score 4-3.

“Last year, we were just getting a lot of young guys broken in,” Joe Maddon said after Tuesday’s win. “We were good but it took a while to get it all working.”

That team took four months, while this one has taken less than one as Tuesday’s win was another one of those team efforts. Kyle Hendricks pitched well, as did Adam Warren and Hector Rondon -- though Pedro Strop had a rough outing. Addison Russell tripled home two runs while Javier Baez avoided a tag with a smart slide and even the manager had an impact by pinch hitting for the starter, Hendricks, in the fifth inning, sensing runs were at a premium. Moments later, the game was tied -- and then eventually won by the home team. Ten games over .500 is a milestone moment for a Maddon-led team.

“It’s nice,” the manager said. “It’s not lost on me. I do think in increments of five. Now you want to move it to the next [one].”

Maddon said something similar last year, and while it took four months to get to 10 over, it took only three more weeks to reach 20 over. Anthony Rizzo recalled Maddon’s “increments of five” talk last year. Things are moving much faster this time.

“We talked about this in the spring,” Rizzo said. “About turning up the levels to get ready for this.”

Tuesday's winner, Warren, put it more succinctly.

“The big goal for this team was to get off to a good start because of the expectations, and it’s done a lot for our confidence,” he said.

It sounds as if the Cubs have embraced the target the way their manager wanted them to. At 15-5 and with the top of the rotation looming for the Brewers over the next few days, can 15 over .500 be far off?