By MIKE MONACO

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. — South Bend found its early offense but could not mount a late comeback in an 8-5 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night at Fifth Third Ballpark.

The Cubs (9-10) scored two in the first and three in the fourth, but the Whitecaps (9-10) broke a 5-5 tie in the sixth with a trio of runs. South Bend collected just one hit after the fourth inning.

Cubs leadoff man Charcer Burks set the tone atop the lineup with a 3-for-4 showing and a stolen base. Burks, shortstop Gleyber Torres, second baseman Chesny Young, first baseman Jason Vosler and center fielder Rashad Crawford each recorded an RBI.

With Torres at first in the top of the first inning with one out, Young laced an RBI double into right-center field, and Torres motored around and scored to make it 1-0. The Cubs have scored first in 17 of 19 games this season. Young moved to third on a flyout to right and scored when Vosler jumped on a breaking ball and hooked a two-out RBI single into right field.

The Whitecaps edged onto the board in the home half of the second when first baseman Francisco Contreras grooved an RBI single down the third-base line to cut the deficit in half to 2-1.

West Michigan knotted the score at 2-2 in the third when Derek Hill led off the frame with an infield single and moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Ross Kivett then bounced a ball to first, and Vosler’s throw home couldn’t beat Hill. With Kivett at second, No. 3 hitter Mike Gerber slapped a run-scoring single over Torres’ head at shortstop to push the Whitecaps ahead 3-2. Four batters later, Whitecaps third baseman Zach Sheperd sliced a two-run, two-out triple to the right-field wall to extend the margin to 5-2 and chase Cubs starting pitcher Jake Stinnett.
Stinnett allowed seven hits and five runs (all earned) in 2.2 innings. Stinnett threw 72 pitches, walked two, struck out two and induced 10 swinging strikes.

South Bend wasted no time in evening things back up in the top of the fourth. Crawford crushed a long fly ball to deep center field to score third baseman Jesse Hodges with two outs. The ball remained lodged under the fence, and Crawford was credited with a triple. Crawford then scored on an infield single by Charcer Burks, and Torres tied the game 5-5 with his second double of the season — a long drive to center field.

West Michigan finally got to South Bend reliever Tyler Ihrig in the sixth with a double, single and safety squeeze bunt to grab a 6-5 lead. Kivett then cracked a two-run double down the third-base line. Torres was able to cut down Hill at the plate with an accurate relay throw but not before the Whitecaps surged ahead 8-5.

South Bend and West Michigan return to action in the middle tilt of their three-game set Tuesday at noon ET at Fifth Third Ballpark. The Cubs will give right-hander Jeremy Null (2-0, 1.06 ERA) the ball opposite Whitecaps righty Jeff Thompson (0-2, 7.82 ERA).