Cubs pitching prospect Alzolay wins debut after call-up

The Chicago Cubs called up highly touted pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay, and the right-hander's major league debut Thursday against the visiting New York Mets went swimmingly. With starter Kyle Hendricks on the injured list because of a right shoulder impingement, Tyler Chatwood got the start Thursday, but since Chatwood had not started a game since April 21, he was limited to four innings.

Alzolay, 24, took over to open the fifth and pitched four-plus innings, allowing just one hit -- a leadoff homer in the ninth by Todd Frazier -- while getting the win in a 7-4 victory. Alzolay struck out five and walked two. To open a roster spot, left-hander Tim Collins was designated for assignment.

Alzolay was 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA in six starts at Triple-A Iowa. He got off to a late start to the season as he recovered from a lat injury. Over his last five starts with Iowa, he had a 1.93 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 28 innings. "Right now he's pitching extremely well," Cubs president Theo Epstein said before the game, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "His curveball's been as good as I've ever seen it in the last four or five starts. He's getting a ton of swings and misses with it. He's pitching really well, up in the zone with his fastball, and his changeup has really come on, too. ... He's pitching with great rhythm and a lot of confidence."