By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND – Great Lakes scored three runs in the third and slipped past South Bend, 4-3, in Thursday’s series opener at Four Winds Field before 4,047 fans.

The Cubs (29-30 second half, 58-68 overall) snatched an early 1-0 lead, but the Loons (25-33 second half, 63-63 overall) claimed the lead in the third, sending eight to the plate in the frame, and never looked back. South Bend began the night six games behind West Michigan for second place in the Midwest League’s Eastern Division.

South Bend starter James Norwood allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in three innings. Reliever Ryan McNeil fanned three and gave up one run in three innings out of the bullpen. Fellow righty Dillon Maples followed with three scoreless stanzas.

Cubs right fielder Jeffrey Baez (2-for-4) and first baseman David Bote (2-for-4, one RBI) paced the offense, which collected 10 hits but stranded 10 on base.

With the bases loaded in the second, Cubs second baseman Vimael Machin lashed a line drive to center, where Loons center fielder Logan Landon made a catch, but designated hitter Kevin Encarnacion tagged up and scored to give South Bend a 1-0 lead.

The Loons tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the first when second baseman Jimmy Allen blooped a single to plate third baseman Michael Ahmed, who tripled to begin the frame. Designated hitter Brian Wolfe then tucked an RBI double down the right-field line to push Great Lakes ahead 2-1. Left fielder Federico Celli then ripped a sacrifice fly to center with the bases loaded to extend it to 3-1.

With runners at the corners in the home third, Bote placed an RBI single into right-center field and scored left fielder Ian Happ to pull South Bend within one, 3-2.

Wolfe added an RBI single to left in the fourth to stretch the lead to 4-2.

Machin laced a two-out RBI single to right field in the bottom of the eighth to plate center fielder Charcer Burks and pull the Cubs within one, 4-3.

South Bend and Great Lakes meet in Friday’s middle game at 7:35 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs right-hander Jake Stinnett (4.53 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Loons righty Grant Holmes (2.90 ERA).