The Bowling Green Hot Rods dropped an 8-5 decision to the South Bend Cubs on Thursday in South Bend, Ind.

After winning the first two games of the series, the Hot Rods gave up a season-high 17 hits to the Cubs.

Offensively, Bowling Green took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly by outfielder Eleardo Cabrera.

After South Bend scored four unanswered runs from the second to fourth innings, the Hot Rods tied the game in the fifth with three runs of their own. Catcher Rene Pinto had an RBI single, with the other runs coming on a run-scoring groundout and an error.

South Bend scored its final four runs of the game in the seventh inning against Hot Rods reliever Spencer Moran. The Cubs got a pair of RBI doubles from catcher Johnny Pereda and designated hitter Alberto Mineo. They also got an RBI single from Yelier Peguero.