CHICAGO – After a 4-1 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, the Cubs are 3-12 in the season series, which will be completed after the teams play Wednesday and Thursday at Wrigley Field.

How it happened: Cubs pitcher Travis Wood hit a home run, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the three-run shot he gave up in the second inning. The Brewers’ home run was the first in Jeff Bianchi’s career and it was Milwaukee’s only run-scoring hit of the game. After a demoralizing defeat Monday when the Cubs were routed after giving up nine ninth-inning runs, they managed only three hits.

What it means: At least Darwin Barney gave Cubs fans something to cheer about, although it technically didn’t come until the last out was made. Barney completed his 113th consecutive game without an error to tie the longest single-season streak by a second baseman in National League history. David Eckstein also went 113 games for the Padres in 2010. The longest streak by a second baseman in the American League is 141 by Placido Polanco for the Tigers in 2007.

Outside the box: Anthony Rizzo looks to be in a funk after striking out three times and going 0-for-4. One major league scout said Tuesday that Rizzo looks to be in an “in-between phase,” meaning that he s in the process of making adjustments to counteract the adjustments pitchers have made to him after his red-hot start to his Cubs career.

Off beat: The Cubs let the Brewers cash in on a base-running mistake in the eighth inning. Rickie Weeks was caught off first base because of Shawn Camp’s fake-throw-to-third-turn-to-first play and was forced into a rundown. With the Brewers’ Norichika Aoki on third base, second baseman Darwin Barney was caught between chasing Weeks and watching Aoki. Barney threw to Starlin Castro, who made the tag on Weeks, but Castro couldn’t throw home in time to catch Aoki sprinting to the plate.

Up next: The Cubs will send right-hander Jeff Samardzija (8-11, 4.09 ERA) to the mound Wednesday against the Brewers in the third game of the four-game series. Milwaukee will counter with right-hander Mike Fiers (7-6, 2.98) in the 7:05 p.m. start from Wrigley Field.