Cubs starter Cole Hamels was scratched from today’s scheduled start with shoulder fatigue. In his place, the Cubs started Alec Mills, who only had 4 career MLB starts going into this game. Mills has been in professional baseball since 2012 when he was drafted in the 22nd round by the Royals. The Cubs exercised a fourth minor league option on the 27-year old righthander this year, and the Cards’ only prior experience with him was 4 relief innings over 2 games pitched last year.
Mills confounded the Cards’ batters with his slow pitches all afternoon, including a 68-mph looping curveball.