Clifton, Cubs Cruise Past Captains

EASTLAKE, Ohio - South Bend exploded for four first-inning runs, and Trevor Clifton delivered six shutout innings, as the Cubs topped Lake County, 5-2, on Friday night at Classic Park.

The Cubs (2-0 second half, 31-38 overall) have won four consecutive games, including the first two tilts of the second half. South Bend's four-game winning streak matches its longest of the season.

Clifton spun six frames in which he fanned four, walked one and surrendered four hits. The right-hander had allowed at least one earned run in each of his last nine outings, dating back to his start against Great Lakes on April 19, when Clifton tossed five shutout innings of one-hit ball. The 2013 12th-round pick matched a season-high with the six stanzas.

Cubs center fielder Charcer Burks (2-for-4, one RBI, one run), third baseman Jason Vosler (2-for-4, one run) and left fielder Rashad Crawford (2-for-4) each tallied multi-hit outings.

South Bend went to work quickly in the top of the first. Burks began the game with a double into the left-field corner, and shortstop Gleyber Torres hauled him home with an RBI single. The Cubs then loaded the bases, and Lake County starter Jordan Milbrath drilled right fielder Kevin Encarnacion to score Torres and make it 2-0. South Bend catcher Erick Castillo supplied a two-run single to center field, stretching the first-inning lead to 4-0.

The Captains placed runners at second and third with one out in the fourth inning, but Clifton tallied back-to-back strikeouts to escape the trouble.

South Bend reliever Daniel Lewis replaced Clifton in the seventh, and Captains center fielder Greg Allen smacked a two-out RBI single to pull Lake County within three, 4-1. Lewis stranded runners at second and third to end the threat.

Burks added the run right back in the top of the eighth when he drove in Crawford with an RBI base knock.

The Captains loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, and Cubs righty Ryan McNeil walked in a run. Fellow righty David Garner recorded the final out.

South Bend and Lake County meet Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET at Classic Park in Eastlake, Ohio. Cubs right-hander Jake Stinnett (5.29 ERA) will oppose Captains lefty Sean Brady (3.39 ERA).