Lansing Levels South Bend, 17-2

LANSING, Mich. - South Bend suffered its worst loss to highlight its worst stretch of the season, dropping the series finale and cementing the sweep at the hands of Lansing, 17-2, on Thursday night at Cooley Law School Stadium.

The Cubs (18-23) hadn't lost by more than seven runs or allowed more than 10 runs in any game this season. Before its 8-1 loss Wednesday, South Bend's biggest loss this season had been by five runs. The Cubs have now lost five games in a row and eight of their last nine. South Bend's last five-game losing streak was in August 2013, when the Silver Hawks dropped eight in a row.

The Lugnuts (24-17) scored in six of the first seven innings, including three in the second, eight in the sixth and three more in the seventh. The 17 runs are the most scored by any Midwest League team this season and the most allowed by South Bend since July 4, 2012, when Dayton downed the Silver Hawks, 17-4.

South Bend starter Trevor Clifton allowed six runs (four earned) in five innings, while walking three and punching out six. After the Lugnuts scored their fifth run in the third inning, Clifton settled in and only surrendered one more hit while adding all six strikeouts from there.

Cubs first baseman Cael Brockmeyer (1-for-3) socked a two-run home run, and second baseman Andrew Ely (2-for-3) collected the first multi-hit game of his South Bend career.

For the seventh time in their eight meetings, Lansing scored in the first inning. Leadoff man Anthony Alford worked a walk, scooted to second on a passed ball, moved to third on a bunt and jogged home on a sacrifice fly.

The Lugnuts quickly tacked on another in the second, as catcher Danny Jansen scraped an RBI double down the left-field line to score right fielder Josh Almonte and push Lansing up 2-0. Shortstop Gunnar Heidt extended the margin to 3-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field. No. 9 hitter Chris Carlson triples and scored on a wild pitch.

In the third, Rowdy Tellez's leadoff double turned into a fifth run, as the bruising slugger cycled the bases thanks to a wild pitch and passed ball.

After allowing a leadoff single to Cubs shortstop Gleyber Torres to begin the night, Lansing starter Chase De Jong retired the next nine batters he faced.

Cubs second baseman Andrew Ely began the fourth with an infield single. Two batters later, first baseman Cael Brockmeyer clobbered a two-run home run to left field off the scoreboard, getting South Bend on the board, 5-2. Brockmeyer's second home run of the season came 40 games after his first - the walk-off shot on Opening Night.

With two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the fifth, Lansing manufactured another run to make it 6-2 when Tim Locastro scored from third after the runner at first, Tellez, got in a rundown between first and second.

Carlson's RBI double off of Cubs reliever David Garner in the sixth widened the gap to 7-2. Alford followed with a single to right field to score Heidt. Locastro cracked an RBI base knock of his own and extended the lead to 9-2. With the bases loaded, Ryan McBroom shot a two-run double to left field. The ninth batter of the inning, Almonte drove a two-run single to center field and completely broke it open, 13-2. An RBI groundout made it 14-2. In total, Lansing plated eight runs in the sixth, as Garner faced 10 batters and recorded one out.

Lansing poured on two more in the seventh on a two-run double by Tellez. Jansen's RBI single made it 17-2.

South Bend infielder David Bote faced the minimum in a scoreless eighth inning on the mound.

With a ninth-inning single, South Bend left fielder Charcer Burks extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Torres grounded out to shortstop to end the top of the third inning and limped down the first-base line. Torres returned to his perch at shortstop in between innings but was then removed from the game.

Following its seven-game road trip, South Bend returns home to host Bowling Green in a four-game set that begins Friday at 7:35 p.m. ET at Four Winds Field. Cubs right-hander Ryan Williams (3-1, 0.72 ERA) will toe the rubber opposite Hot Rods righty Enderson Franco (3-2, 3.18 ERA).