Alec Mills struck out four over six innings at home against Salt Lake last night, and he didn’t allow anything. Those six innings were completely perfect. Rob Zastryzny extended the perfecto through the seventh before Salt Lake finally got a single in the eighth.
Mills was pretty good in his last start, too. That came on July 22 against New Orleans when he pitched 6.2 innings of one run ball while striking out three. In between those two starts he threw two innings of perfect relief for the Chicago Cubs, striking out two.
A 6’4″ right hander, Mills has had an inconsistent season. That’s not surprising considering he missed most of 2017 with injuries. When he’s at his best, Mills seems to be more of a command/soft-contact kind of pitcher as opposed to a pure strikeout guy. His normal projection is as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he picks up a half a dozen or so innings of relief for the Cubs in September. If he continues to look good in that role, he may get a shot at the bullpen next spring.
If not, he’ll probably be right back in Iowa hoping to put another healthy season together, likely while spending plenty of time on the Iowa to Chicago shuttle.
Triple A: Iowa Cubs
Iowa 6, Salt Lake 0
It wasn’t a no-hitter, but it was still a really, really good game.
Alec Mills: 6 IP, 4 K
Rob Zastryzny: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Dakota Mekkes: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Chris Coghlan: 2 for 5
Mark Zagunis: 1 for 3, 2B, BB
Jason Vosler: 2 for 4, 2B
Taylor Davis: 2 for 4, HR
Jacob Hannemann: 1 for 3, 2 BB, SB
Double A: Tennessee Smokies
The Smokies doubleheader was rained out. They have not played since Monday due to rain.
High A: Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Down East 8, Myrtle Beach 3
The Pelicans trailed nearly the entire game.
Tyson Miller: 6 IP, 6 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 K
D.J. Wilson: 2 for 4, 2B, BB
Andruw Monasterio: 2 for 4
Wladimir Galindo: 0 for 2, 2 BB
Low A: South Bend Cubs
Lansing 10, South Bend 3
The Cubs have not won a game since last Wednesday. That’s seven straight losses.
Javier Assad: 3.1 IP, 8 R, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K
Garrett Kelly: 2.2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Christian Donahue: 1 for 3, BB
Zach Davis: 2 for 3, BB
Brandon Hughes: 1 for 2
Short Season A: Eugene Emeralds
Spokane 5, Eugene 4
The Emeralds jumped to an early lead, but lost it in the late innings.
Paul Richan: 3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Casey Ryan: 2.1 IP, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Grant Fennell: 2 for 5, SB
Luke Reynolds: 3 for 4, 2 2B, HR
Rookie: AZL Cubs 1
Cubs One 12, Giants Orange 8
Every hitter in the Cubs lineup had at least one hit. Six of them had two.
Didier Vargas: 0.2 IP, 7 R (2 ER), 5 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Ryan Webb: 1 IP, 1 K
Riger Fernandez: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Fauris Guerrero: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Edmond Americaan: 2 for 5, SB
Christopher Morel: 2 for 4, BB
Jonathan Soto: 2 for 5
Yovanny Cuevas: 2 for 5
Josue Huma: 2 for 5
Kwang-Min Kwon: 2 for 4
Rafael Mejia: 1 for 4, HR
Rookie: AZL Cubs 2
Cubs Two 6, Indians 2
The Cubs scored three times in the first and never looked back.
Blake Whitney: 5 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 5 BB, 4 K
Allen Webster: 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 K
Sucre Valdez: 2 IP, 3 K
Cole Roederer: 2 for 5, 3B, HR
Reivaj Garcia: 1 for 5, SB
Brennen Davis: 2 for 4, BB, SB
Henderson Perez: 2 for 5
Fidel Mejia: 3 for 5
Ezequiel Pagan: 1 for 3, 2B, BB, SB
Other Notes
Every pitcher who pitched for Iowa last night could be called to Chicago when Iowa’s season ends and rosters expand in September. The only questionable one would be Mekkes, but so long as the Cubs can find a way to get him on the 40-man roster I would love to see how his funky delivery and stuff works against big league hitters.
We haven’t talked alot about Iowa this year, but one area that deserves a spotlight is their outfield defense. Last night, for example, the Cubs played 2015 Gold Glove winner Trey Martin in center beside 2017 Gold Glove winner Jacob Hannemann in right. I think we would be hard pressed to find a better outfield defense in the minors.
To take the place of the traded Jhon Romero, Yapson Gomez has been promoted to Myrtle Beach. Gomez, a 24-year-old lefty, had a 3.58 ERA in 50.1 innings of relief for South Bend. He generates quite a few ground balls and has only allowed on homer this season, but isn’t a significant strikeout pitcher (7.15 K/9). This is his first trip to High A.
AZL Cubs 1 pulled off a comeback their comrades in Chicago would be proud of. Trailing 8-2 after the first inning, the Cubs took the lead in the fifth and pulled away from there. The bullpen held the Giants to just three hits after the first.
Turns out the Cubs’ 10th round pick this year has some power. In addition to this homer, Luke Reynolds also doubled twice.
NEWSLETTER
