By MIKE MONACO

SOUTH BEND — One day after being named the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month, South Bend starting pitcher Jeremy Null lived up to that billing with eight shutout innings in the Cubs’ 3-0 win over Great Lakes on Tuesday night at Four Winds Field.

“He went out there and did more than anyone could ask of him,” Cubs manager Jimmy Gonzalez said. “It was awesome to see that work.”

Null continued his season-long success and lowered his ERA to 0.59. Null allowed just four hits and fanned three, extending his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 21.2. Great Lakes starter Trevor Oaks matched Null for the bulk of the evening, slinging zeroes onto the scoreboard with the exception of a South Bend run in the second. The game lasted just one hour and 44 minutes.

“Always trying to work fast,” Null said. “They swung early in counts and got some ground balls. The defense helped me out a lot.”

Null improved his record to 3-0. In 30.2 total innings this season, the 6-foot-7 right-hander has only allowed two earned runs. Null earned Chicago’s top minor-league pitching honor Monday.

“It’s a great honor to be selected. It’s a great organization,” Null said. “There’s a lot of talent. For them to select me as the pitcher of the month, it was a very great moment for me. And I appreciate it a lot.”

Null allowed three hits — all singles — over his first four innings. Cubs third baseman Jesse Hodges made a smooth play in the third, angling well to his left, and shortstop Gleyber Torres made a whirling play up the middle to end the frame.

Null, the former Western Carolina standout, issued a two-out walk in the sixth inning, the first free pass he’s surrendered this season. The righty hadn’t walked anyone through his first 28.2 innings pitched.

“It was going to happen sooner or later,” Null said. “I’m still not too happy about it. But got it out of the way and continued to throw the ball.”

After the Loons (11-12) scratched single hits in the first and second innings, they only tallied one other against Null until an infield single on a bang-bang play at first in the eighth inning. But South Bend (14-12) quickly erased the base knock, as right fielder Yasiel Balaguert tracked down a slicing line drive in the corner and heaved it back to first to complete the inning-ending double play.

The Cubs scored in the bottom of the second inning. Balaguert led off with a walk, and Hodges followed with a single. Designated hitter Justin Marra grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, but Balaguert scampered in to make it 1-0. From there, Oaks retired 12 in a row from the second innings into the sixth until left fielder Charcer Burks roped a double down the left-field line.

South Bend loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning and added two insurance runs. Torres struck a hard ground ball to the shortstop, but the would-be 6-4-3 double play went awry when second baseman Kelvin Ramos threw the return throw away, and Marra and center fielder Rashad Crawford both scored to extend the margin to 3-0.

South Bend right-hander James Farris worked a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.

The Cubs and Loons make the quick turnaround to Four Winds Field on Wednesday at 10:35 a.m. for the rubber game. South Bend right-hander Erick Leal (3-0, 2.25 ERA) will start opposite Great Lakes lefty Victor Gonzalez (0-2, 3.38 ERA).