By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND — South Bend only allowed one run over the final five innings but could not dig out of an early deficit, dropping the middle game against Quad Cities, 8-3, on Sunday afternoon at Four Winds Field.

The River Bandits (39-18) surged ahead with seven runs in the first four frames to even the series with the Cubs (26-30) at a game apiece.

Cubs reliever Ryan McNeil posted three shutout innings in which he only issued one walk and allowed one hit. Right-hander David Garner struck out five in two innings of one-run relief duty.

After a 58-minute rain delay, Quad Cities went right to work. River Bandits designated hitter Jacob Nottingham jumped on a first-pitch fastball for an RBI double in the top of the first.

In the top of the third, River Bandits cleanup hitter Nick Tanielu clubbed a three-run home run to left field to make the margin 4-0.

South Bend right fielder Jeffrey Baez tallied his second outfield assist in three games by hosing River Bandits second baseman Kristian Trompiz, who attempted to advance to third on a flyout to right in the fourth inning. Baez nabbed a runner at the plate in Friday’s win over Cedar Rapids. But Quad Cities came right back with three consecutive doubles to widen the gap to 6-0. A well-struck single from Nottingham scored a seventh run.

The Cubs didn’t record their first baserunner until the bottom of the fourth inning, when center fielder Charcer Burks led off with a single yanked through the left side. Shortstop Gleyber Torres then coaxed a walk, and first baseman Cael Brockmeyer supplied a run-scoring single to trim the deficit to 7-1. Third baseman Jason Vosler then skied a sacrifice fly to plate Torres from third. The Cubs, however, left the bases loaded to end the threat.

After stranding two more in the fifth, Cubs designated hitter David Bote supplied a run-scoring single in the sixth, reeling in Vosler to make it a 7-3 game.

Tanielu rapped a bases-loaded single in the ninth, extending it to an 8-3 lead.

South Bend starter Erick Leal allowed seven runs on nine hits in four innings.

The Cubs stranded eight runners on base, including three in the fourth, two in the fifth and two in the eighth.

South Bend and Quad Cities conclude their three-game series Monday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs left-hander Tommy Thorpe (1-3, 4.61 ERA) will make his first professional start. The River Bandits counter with righty Austin Chrismon (4-1, 2.93 ERA).