By Mike Monaco

LANSING, Mich. — Lansing flooded South Bend with early offense and downed the Cubs, 8-1, on Wednesday morning in the third game of the four-game series at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Lugnuts (23-17) scored twice in the first and added five more in the second to coast past the Cubs (18-22) and hand South Bend its fourth consecutive loss and its seventh in the last eight games. Lansing roughed up South Bend starter Zach Hedges, who allowed eight runs on eight hits and three walks in six innings. The right-hander walked just four batters through his first six starts (31 innings).

Lansing starter Sean Reid-Foley struck out a career-high seven batters in three scoreless innings, as the 19-year old worked into trouble but escaped it by way of the K. Lugnuts reliever Chase Mallard surrendered one run in five innings of relief.

Cubs first baseman Gioskar Amaya finished 2-for-3 with a single, double and walk. Amaya had one multi-hit game in his first 25 games, but the Venezuelan now has four such games in his last nine.

For the sixth time in their last seven meetings, Lansing scored in the first inning. Center fielder Anthony Alford worked a leadoff walk, and the Lugnuts had runners at second and third after a single and stolen base by No. 2 hitter D.J. Davis. Shortstop Richard Urena then dribbled a slow-roller to third, and Alford raced in from third to beat the throw from Cubs third baseman Jesse Hodges. Cleanup hitter Rowdy Tellez then knocked a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Davis and extend the margin to 2-0.

After striking out three and stranding two in the top of the first inning, Lugnuts starter Sean Reid-Foley dodged danger again in the second. The Cubs loaded the bases with one out, but Reid-Foley fanned the top of the South Bend order — center fielder Rashad Crawford and shortstop Gleyber Torres — to maintain the 2-0 lead. South Bend stranded one runner (nine total) in each of the first six innings.

Lansing went back to work in the third, and No. 9 hitter Chris Carlson’s RBI roller through the right side scored second baseman Justin Atkinson. Alford then pushed the advantage to 4-0 with a single to left field, scoring third baseman Gunnar Heidt. Davis then made it 6-0 with a two-run double to left field. Urena got in on the act with a sacrifice fly to right field and lifting the edge to 7-0.

The Cubs grabbed their first run in the top of the sixth inning against Mallard. Designated hitter David Bote walked and advanced to third on a double by third baseman Jesse Hodges. Bote then scored on an RBI groundout by pinch-hitter Andrew Ely. Lansing snatched the run right back and surged ahead 8-1 on an RBI two-bagger by Heidt in the home half of the sixth.

South Bend collected three base hits in the eighth inning, but base-running blunders quieted the Cubs.

The Lugnuts have won five consecutive games against South Bend.

Torres finished 0-for-5, ending his 24-game on-base streak that began April 22.

South Bend and Lansing return to Cooley Law School Stadium on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. ET for the series finale. Cubs right-hander Trevor Clifton (1-2, 2.60 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Lugnuts righty Chase De Jong (3-3, 3.98 ERA).