SOUTH BEND – The Lake County Captains scored three runs in the eighth inning to stun the South Bend Cubs in an eventual 4-3 final Friday night at Four Winds Field.

The Cubs held a 2-1 lead going into the eighth inning, but gave up three runs to the Captains. South Bend got the first two batters out, but a Francisco Mejia notched a two-run double and Connor Marabell added another RBI double to put the Captains up 4-2.

South Bend would get a run back in the eighth when Ian Rice led off the bottom half with a home run into the lawn in left center. Captains relief pitcher Billy Strode, however, would get the next three hitters to ground out.

Strode would strike out the side in the ninth.

South Bend (40-27) remains one game away from clinching a playoff spot for the first half, sitting in a tie with West Michigan (39-26) in the Eastern division. The Whitecaps won at Fort Wayne Friday night to move into a tie, with both teams needing just one win this weekend to both qualify for the playoff.

Cortland Cox (3-1) got the win for Lake County (39-29), which sits 1.5 games back in the Eastern division, needing to sweep South Bend this Saturday and Sunday and have West Michigan also lose both of its games at Fort Wayne to back into a playoff spot.

Craig Brooks (BS, 2, 2-1) was on the hook for the loss for South Bend. Starter Casey Bloomquist went seven innings for the Cubs, giving up four hits and one earned run.

The two teams battle Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at Four Winds Field.