By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — West Michigan broke out early and put away South Bend late in an 8-4 victory in Friday’s series opener at Four Winds Field in front of a single-game franchise record 8,004 fans.

The Whitecaps (33-34) opened up a 5-1 lead in the middle of the fourth inning, and South Bend’s middle-innings surge was not enough. West Michigan tacked on three runs for an added cushion in the ninth. The Cubs (27-38), who committed four errors, have now lost nine of their last 10 games.

South Bend starter Jeremy Null allowed three runs on five hits in three innings before right-hander Ryan McNeil relieved him to begin the fourth. After McNeil’s three stanzas, lefty Jordan Minch did not allow an earned run in three strong innings out of the bullpen.

Cubs designated hitter Charcer Burks (2-for-4, one run) extended his hitting streak to four games, and shortstop Gleyber Torres (2-for-4) and left fielder Kevin Encarnacion (2-for-4) tallied multi-hit efforts.

The Whitecaps placed runners at first and second with one out in the first inning, but Cubs center fielder Rashad Crawford made a graceful diving catch to help Null sidestep trouble.

The Cubs struck in the bottom of the first inning. Burks cracked a leadoff single, moved to second on a balk, scooted to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to give South Bend the 1-0 advantage.

West Michigan tied the game in the top of the third on a double, an error and a bunt single by leadoff man Rashad Brown. Brown then stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly to center as the Whitecaps grabbed the 2-1 lead. West Michigan’s No. 3 and No. 4 hitters, Ross Kivett and Joey Pankake, then served back-to-back doubles to left field to make it 3-1.

The Whitecaps loaded the bases in the fourth against McNeil and pushed a fourth run across on a wild pitch. West Michigan widened the gap to 5-1 on a sacrifice fly from Kivett.

South Bend went to work in the fifth inning. Catcher Cael Brockmeyer and third baseman Jason Vosler coaxed back-to-back one-out walks. Two batters latter, Encarnacion pulled a two-out, two-run single through the right side to make it 5-3.

The Cubs cut within one in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI single by Torres.

South Bend pushed runners to the corners with nobody out in the bottom of the eighth, but first baseman Yasiel Balaguert flew out to right field, and Burks was hosed at the plate to trying to score from third.

The Whitecaps added an insurance run in the ninth on two South Bend errors and another two runs on a two-out double by Pankake to strengthen the lead to 8-4.

South Bend and West Michigan return to Four Winds Field on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET for the middle matchup in the three-game series. Cubs right-hander Erick Leal (5.17 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Whitecaps righty A.J. Ladwig (4.26 ERA).