By MIKE MONACO

SOUTH BEND — Lansing poured on six runs in the first two innings and toppled South Bend, 8-6, to earn the series split on Thursday at Four Winds Field.

The Cubs (17-17) chased Lugnuts starter Conner Greene after one inning, but Lansing reliever Starlyn Suriel stifled South Bend over the next six-plus frames, allowing just three baserunners. The Lugnuts prevailed and earned the split after dropping the first two games of the series.

Cubs right-handed reliever David Garner fanned three and gave up just one hit in two innings of scoreless work. Garner replaced starter Zach Hedges, who was tagged for seven runs (four earned) on eight hits in five stanzas.

For the fourth time in as many games, Lansing scored in the top of the first inning. Leadoff man Tim Locastro struck out but reached first as the ball skittered away behind home plate. After stealing second, Locastro scored on a softly hit ground ball to shortstop, a position vacated as South Bend elected to shift to the right against left-handed hitter Rowdy Tellez. First baseman Ryan McBroom then bashed a two-run double to left-center field, lifting Lansing ahead 3-0.

Cubs left fielder Charcer Burks, shortstop Gleyber Torres, third baseman Jason Vosler and catcher Cael Brockmeyer led off the home half of the first inning with four consecutive singles, the third of which Vosler shot up the middle to score Burks. Brockmeyer’s knock reeled in Torres to make it 3-2. Right fielder Yasiel Balaguert then grounded out to second, allowing Vosler to motor in from third and tie the game. First baseman Gioskar Amaya got in on the action, knocking a single to left field to score Brockmeyer and push the Cubs ahead 4-3.

The Lugnuts knotted the score, 4-4, in the second on an RBI double down the left-field line by Locastro. Three batters later, right fielder J.D. Davis lifted a two-run home run to left, making it 6-4 Lansing.

The Lugnuts extended the margin to 7-4 on an RBI infield single by left fielder Boomer Collins in the fifth.

South Bend went scoreless after the four-run first inning until the eighth, when Brockmeyer, Balaguert and Amaya singled, that last of which brought in Brockmeyer from third and tightened the deficit to 7-5. Lansing extended it right back to a three-run game in the ninth with an RBI single punched through the left-side hole by center fielder D.J. Davis.

Torres cracked an RBI single in the ninth, but South Bend could not pull any closer despite the three-hit inning.

South Bend hits the road Friday for a three-game series against Great Lakes at Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan. Cubs right-hander Trevor Clifton (1-1, 2.91 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Loons righty Grant Holmes (1-0, 4.39 ERA).