By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND – Kane County broke a tie in the seventh and clung to a tight lead the rest of the way, downing South Bend, 4-3, on Thursday night at Four Winds Field in the rubber game.

South Bend (19-21 second half, 48-59 overall) erased a 3-0 deficit in the fourth, but Kane County (30-10 second half, 66-42 overall) scored the go-ahead run on three hits in the seventh to take the three-game series.

Cubs starter Tommy Thorpe twirled six innings and allowed one earned run (three total) on six hits and two walks. The lefty retired the final eight batters he faced. In four starts since coming off the disabled list in July, Thorpe has tossed 23 innings, while only surrendering four earned runs.

South Bend right fielder Jeffrey Baez (3-for-5, one run), shortstop Gleyber Torres (2-for-5, two RBI), first baseman Gioskar Amaya (2-for-4, one run) powered the offense.

Kane County climbed to a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single down the left-field line by No. 3 hitter Ildemaro Vargas.

Cougars leadoff man Colin Bray dropped down a run-scoring bunt in the second, scoring third baseman Joe Munoz and stretching the advantage to 2-0.

In the fourth, Cougars designated hitter Chuck Taylor skied a sacrifice fly to right field to plate right fielder Victor Reyes and make it 3-0.

The Cubs loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the fourth, and Torres emptied the bags with a run-scoring hit to right field to tie the game, 3-3.

The Cougars struck against Cubs reliever Ryan McNeil in the top of the seventh. First baseman Marty Herum bounced an RBI single off the third-base bag to push Kane County ahead 4-3.

McNeil allowed the one run and fanned three in two innings. Fellow righty Michael Wagner worked a scoreless ninth.

Baez led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to left field. Two batters later, he was thrown out trying to steal third.

South Bend welcomes Clinton to Four Winds Field on Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET to begin a three-game series. Cubs right-hander James Norwood (6.32 ERA) is scheduled to oppose LumberKings lefty Eddie Campbell (6.04 ERA).