By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND — South Bend starter Zach Hedges delivered another strong start, but West Michigan topped the Cubs, 4-0, to win the series Monday afternoon at sunny Four Winds Field.

For a third consecutive outing, Hedges spun at least seven innings. But the Whitecaps (16-8 second half, 49-44 overall) pushed across two early runs another couple late and claimed the three-game series. The Cubs (13-12 second half, 42-50 overall) won Saturday’s opener but lost Sunday, as well.

Hedges allowed four runs in 7.1 innings, giving up the pair of runs in the third and two runs charged to him after he left with runners at the corners and one out in the eighth. The righty used double plays in the fourth and sixth innings to work away from trouble. Entering Monday, Hedges had logged 15 innings and only given up two runs in his previous two starts. The sinkerballer recorded 16 of his 22 outs via ground balls.

Cubs shortstop Gleyber Torres (2-for-3, one hit by pitch) collected his fifth consecutive multi-hit game and his 34th of the season.

Hedges set down the first seven batters he faced, but the Whitecaps placed runners at second and third with one out in the third. Consecutive bunts from leadoff man Rashad Brown and center fielder Ross Kivett scored two runs, and West Michigan climbed to a 2-0 advantage.

The Cubs notched seven hits through the first five innings but left two runners on in each of the third and fourth frames.

With runners at the corners in the eighth, Brown scampered home on a wild pitch by Cubs reliever Alexander Santana. Cleanup man Christin Stewart then lashed an RBI single to right field to push the lead to 4-0.

South Bend right fielder Jeffrey Baez extended his hitting streak to nine games with a first-inning single. Baez, who had five consecutive multi-hit outings before his 1-for-4 performance in the finale, was named the Midwest League Player of the Week earlier Monday.

South Bend welcomes Great Lakes to Four Winds Field on Tuesday for a 7:05 p.m. ET series opener. Cubs right-hander Erick Leal (4.97 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Loons lefty Luis De Paula (2.45 ERA).