SAN FRANCISCO -- Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Giants at Oracle Park began a segment of the schedule that will test these Brewers. It was the first of 13 games in 13 days, finishing with 10 in a row against two teams -- Arizona and Philadelphia -- Milwaukee could very well meet in the postseason.

It’s a tough stretch. It also could be a particularly rewarding one, if the Brewers can keep trimming their magic number to clinch the NL Central. It slipped into single digits for the first time Tuesday with a victory that saw the Brewers lead the Giants from the top of the first inning all the way through the bottom of the ninth.

“We’ve had a bunch of 13-game stretches, and we’ve always survived it,” manager Pat Murphy said. “It’s that time where you put your best shoes on and let’s go.”

July pickup Aaron Civale put his best foot forward with 5 1/3 effective innings and pitched with a lead throughout, thanks to rookie Jackson Chourio doubling to spark a two-run rally in the top of the first inning that included the first of William Contreras’ three hits, and Garrett Mitchell powering a solo home run through the cold air in the sixth.

When Chourio tumbled into the netting down the left-field line after making an inning-ending catch for the highlight reel in the eighth and Devin Williams stranded the tying runner in scoring position to finish a four-hitter that began with Civale, DL Hall and Trevor Megill, the Brewers had started this segment of the schedule with a victory.

Just don’t ask them to identify the magic number to clinch a second consecutive NL Central title, along with a sixth postseason berth in the past seven seasons.

“To be honest,” Civale said, “I don’t even know what that number is.”

“Truthfully, I’m not personally thinking about it,” Mitchell said. “What we’ve talked about a lot is winning today, doing whatever it takes to win tonight. I think that’s where we’re all at.”

Mitchell was rehabbing from shoulder surgery this time last season while the Brewers closed on the division crown, so he’s enjoying this year’s chase as much as anyone. Tuesday night, with the wind swirling and the thick marine layer knocking down every fly ball but Mitchell’s homer to straightaway center field in the top of the sixth inning, and Mike Yastrzemski’s solo homer down the right-field line in the bottom of that frame, reminded Mitchell of playing night baseball as a boy farther south in greater Los Angeles.

“Being out there, playing with the team, there’s nothing better than that,” he said. “It sucked in the past, not being able to do that. I’m thankful for the opportunities that I’m getting.”

The coming weeks will be as much of a test for Mitchell and Milwaukee’s other young hitters as it will be for the team’s pitching, making Civale’s effort all the more valuable in his second win over the Giants in his last three starts. Left-handed swingman Hall, who delivered 1 2/3 hitless innings in relief of Civale, has a chance to make a start along the way to help carry the load. The Brewers can also get length from lefty Aaron Ashby and righty Joe Ross.

“I think you’ll see us be creative,” Murphy said. “I think we have the opportunity to really turn it into a six-man [starting rotation] here a little bit. But when you play 13 straight, it puts pressure on the whole pitching staff. And you talk about the good opponents, well, it’s Major League Baseball. We’ve played better, it seems like, against more formidable opponents on paper.”

His sense was right. The Brewers are 45-35 against teams with a .500 record or better, the top winning percentage in the NL and second in MLB to the Yankees. The Giants were under .500 as of Tuesday, but the Phillies have already ensured a winning record and the D-backs won their 81st game on Tuesday to cement at least a .500 finish.

“I think we’re on the right path,” Chourio said. “Our job is to continue to come in here day by day and win games, and I think our moment of celebration is going to come.”