By Mike Monaco

SOUTH BEND — South Bend blasted seven extra-base hits and downed Cedar Rapids, 6-4, on Thursday night at Four Winds Field in the middle tilt of the three-game set.

The Cubs (24-29) jumped on the Kernels (35-19) with a four-run first inning, and the South Bend bats tallied six doubles and a triple, in total, to even the series at a game apiece after surrendering a late lead in Wednesday’s series opener.

“That was great to get back on track and win a ballgame,” South Bend manager Jimmy Gonzalez said. “Even though we lost yesterday, the guys have been playing great and competing. That’s one thing we strive to do.”

Cubs catcher Cael Brockmeyer, who earlier in the day was named the starting catcher for the Eastern Division in the Midwest League All-Star Game, knocked a pair of doubles, added a triple and drove in two runs. Brockmeyer entered Thursday’s action without a hit in his previous 21 at-bats.

“Before the game I was in the outfield shagging balls with [pitcher] Daniel Lewis,” Brockmeyer said. “And I was telling him he needs to give me something. He had me rub his beard all over my arm. He told me I’ll have to do that from now on, definitely touch his magical beard.”

South Bend first baseman Yasiel Balaguert added two hits and a run.

South Bend starting pitcher Trevor Clifton allowed three runs in five innings en route to his second win of the season. With runners at the corners and one out in the fifth, Clifton induced a 4-3 double-play on a line drive back up the middle to end the threat. The young right-hander also stranded runners in the second and third, collecting inning-ending strikeouts on 95 and 92 mile-per-hour fastballs, respectively.

Cubs reliever Brad Markey struck out five in three innings of one-run relief, and All-Star closer James Farris earned his seventh save.

South Bend went to work in the home half of the first inning. Center fielder Charcer Burks worked a leadoff walk, and shortstop Gleyber Torres followed with a wall-ball double to right field. Burks scored from third on second baseman Andrew Ely’s RBI groundout. Brockmeyer clocked a two-strike, two-out double to left-center field to score Torres and extend the early margin to 2-0. Brockmeyer then scored when right fielder Kevin Encarnacion clubbed a double of his own. Encarnacion made it 4-0 after shuttling around the bases on a pair of wild pitches.

The Kernels got on the board in the second on an RBI groundout by right fielder Edgar Corcino. Then in the fourth, Corcino mashed a two-run home run to right-center field, bringing Cedar Rapids within one, 4-3.

South Bend nabbed an insurance run in the fifth to make it 5-3. Balaguert reached on a hard-hit single, and Brockmeyer dropped a well-placed fly ball halfway down the right-field line. The ball bounced toward the South Bend bullpen. Thinking the ball was out of play, Corcino didn’t immediately grab it, and Balaguert scored and Brockmeyer advanced to third.

In the sixth, Cubs third baseman Jesse Hodges led off with a double to deep center field. Left fielder Rashad Crawford then reeled him in with a two-bagger yanked down the right-field line, widening the gap to 6-3.

The Kernels trimmed the deficit to 6-4 in the eighth on an RBI double by first baseman Jorge Fernandez.

South Bend has won four of its last five games.

South Bend and Cedar Rapids conclude their three-game series Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs right-hander Jake Stinnett (1-2, 6.27 ERA) will oppose Kernels righty Keaton Steele (2-0, 2.70 ERA).