By MIKE MONACO
SOUTH BEND – A three-run ninth inning lead evaporated into a one-run deficit, and South Bend could not come back in the home half of the inning, falling to Great Lakes, 5-4, in front of a single-game franchise record 7,575 fans at Four Winds Field on a gorgeous Saturday night.

South Bend (4-6) looked as if it would coast to victory, leading by two runs from the third inning onward. The Cubs entered the top of the ninth up 4-1, but the Loons (5-2) surged ahead, 5-4, when down to their final out.

South Bend starting pitcher Zach Hedges cruised in his second start of the season. The righty, Chicago’s 26th-round pick this summer, spun five crisp, shutout innings, allowing just two hits, walking none and striking out three Loons.

Cubs leadoff hitter Trey Martin (2-for-4, two doubles, one run, one RBI) set the tone atop the lineup and extended his hitting streak to eight games.

For the ninth time in 10 games, South Bend scored first. Martin struck a one-out double in the third, and Chesny Young took a 1-2 pitch to the right-field corner with an inside-out swing. Martin scored easily and Young dove headfirst into third, where the throw slipped into the Great Lakes dugout, allowing Young to trot home to make it 2-0.
The Cubs nudged their margin to 3-0 in the fifth when Martin’s RBI two-bagger to left field plated Justin Marra, who began the frame with his first hit of the season—a single through the hole on the right side.

Cubs lefty Tommy Thorpe relieved Hedges in the sixth. After Great Lakes leadoff man Jimmy Allen singled and moved to third on a pickoff throw that got away, the Loons nabbed their first run on an RBI double by No. 3 hitter Yadir Drake, bringing the score to 3-1 South Bend. Martin made a smooth sliding grab in left-center field to end the frame and strand two. Thorpe also worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

South Bend right fielder Jeffrey Baez began the home half of the seventh with a double down the left-field line. Two batters later, Rashad Crawford extended the lead to 4-1 with an RBI single to left field.

The Loons stormed back, however, collecting four runs on four hits (two infield singles) and one South Bend error to overtake the Cubs, 5-4, in the top of the ninth. Loons reliever Jeff Brigham (four innings, one run) earned the win, and Cubs reliever James Farris (two innings, two earned runs) was tagged with the loss.

South Bend and Great Lakes return to Four Winds Field on Sunday at 2:05 p.m. ET for the middle tilt of the three-game set. Cubs righty Trevor Clifton (0-1, 16.20 ERA) is set to oppose Loons righty Trevor Oaks (1-0, 0.00 ERA).