By MIKE MONACO

SOUTH BEND – After the South Bend bats were silenced in three weekend games against Bowling Green, the Cubs offense exploded early and rolled to a 7-4 win over Lansing on Monday night at Four Winds Field.

The Cubs (16-15) scored three runs in the first and two in the second, nearly matching the six runs of output they constructed in the series against the Hot Rods, to whom South Bend dropped two of three.

“We were kinda quiet with the bats lately,” South Bend manager Jimmy Gonzalez said. “Coming through like this our first game back home was big. It hopefully set the tone for the series.”

South Bend starting pitcher Jake Stinnett allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks in five innings, adding three strikeouts en route to his first professional victory.

“The team did a great job tonight,” Stinnett said. “I didn’t have my best stuff, but they really picked me up, offensively and defensively, just an awesome job. It’s always great to get the victory.”

“Jake, he’s been battling. He doesn’t give up,” Gonzalez said. “That’s the cool thing about Jake, is he’s a hard worker. Even though he did struggle a little bit with his command, once we gave him some run support, he came out there and came right after hitters.”

Cubs pitching didn’t allow a run after the third inning. Left-handed reliever Tommy Thorpe worked scoreless sixth and seventh innings, while righty James Farris struck out four in the final two frames. Farris has tallied 25 strikeouts in 15.2 innings this season.

“He just has a fastball that moves left, right, not straight,” Gonzalez said. “There’s so many swings and misses on his fastball. That’s clutch. He throws strikes with it.”

The Lugnuts (17-14) wasted no time pushing their first run across. Center fielder Anthony Alford worked a leadoff walk in the first inning, moved to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI double by shortstop Richard Urena. The Lugnuts loaded the bases, and Urena scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by D.J. Davis. With runners at first and second, third baseman Gunnar Heidt singled to right field, but Cubs right fielder Yasiel Balaguert gunned down the runner from second at home to end the inning and keep the score 2-0 after the opening half inning.

The Cubs snatched those runs right back in the home half of the first inning. Left fielder Charcer Burks smacked a wall-ball double to left field and scored on a wild pitch. After shortstop Gleyber Torres singled to right field, second baseman Chesny Young scorched a hard-hit ground ball off the Lansing second baseman’s mitt and into center field, allowing Torres to scurry in and tie the score, 2-2. Three batters later, catcher Gioskar Amaya roped another base knock to center, scoring Young.

Young ripped a two-out single to left field in the second inning, and Balaguert crushed a two-run home run toward the team store in left field, propping South Bend to a 5-2 advantage. Balaguert’s shot was the Cubs’ first home run in 16 games.

Lansing surged back in the third, as Heidt knocked a two-run double to left field, pulling the Lugnuts within one, 5-4. Both teams traded zeroes until the bottom of the sixth, when South Bend third baseman Jesse Hodges clubbed a solo home run to left field, propelling the Cubs up 6-4.

The Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth and added an insurance run on an RBI fielder’s choice by Rashad Crawford.

The South Bend bullpen twirled four scoreless innings to lift the Cubs (16-15) back above .500. South Bend and Lansing return to Four Winds Field for game two Tuesday at 10:35 a.m. ET. Cubs right-hander Jeremy Null (3-0, 0.59 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Lugnuts righty Jesus Tinoco.