Thompson spins seven perfect frames

Keegan Thompson has learned how to pitch as a starter in the Minor Leagues. 
The Cubs No. 18 prospect spun seven perfect innings, racking up eight strikeouts but Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach lost the perfect-game bid and fell to Carolina, 4-1, on Thursday at TicketReturn.com Field.

Thompson was limited to just seven appearances that did not surpass three innings in his first professional season with Class A Short Season Eugene and acclimating to a full Minors throwing program was not easy at first.
"It was to keep our innings down while also giving us a taste of pro ball," the 2017 third-round pick said. "It was different. I haven't really come out as a reliever much, but you got to just do what they ask you to do and do it to the best of your ability.
"It took a little bit of time (to adjust). Spring Training was a little bit of a grind, with dead arm and throwing every single day. In college, you had days you could take off. It was just getting my arm used to throwing every day. It was tough, but once Spring Training ended and I got through the first week or two of the season, my arm has kind of gotten used to it and it's been fun." 
Gameday box score
Thompson was tagged with nine runs over 9 1/3 innings in his first two starts of the season, but he's been lights-out since, going 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last nine outings. Thursday's outing lowered his season ERA to 3.19 as he threw 60 of his 84 pitches for strikes. 
The Auburn University product was effective obtaining outs on the ground and through the air, with an even 6-6 split between groundouts and flyouts. He dug in late in his outing, fanning four of his last five batters. 
"Tonight was the first night I had all four pitches working for strikes," Thompson said. "I was just keeping them off balance, working up-and-down and in-and-out." 
Thompson has had Carolina's number lately. He allowed one hit over six scoreless innings against the Mudcats on May 26. He's retired the last 37 batters he's faced against Carolina. 
His biggest threat came at the beginning of the fifth as Ronnie Gideon backed up Pelicans center fielder D.J. Wilson to the track, but the eighth-ranked Cubs prospect gloved it to keep his perfect game alive. 

The 6-foot right-hander missed his entire junior season after undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of the previous summer. He was still taken by the Tigers in the 33rd round of the 2016 Draft, but didn't sign and ended up greatly improving his draft stock after compiling a 2.41 ERA as a redshirt junior before the Cubs took him with the 105th overall pick las year
He was thrilled to see his former teammate, Casey Mize, selected first overall by the Tigers in this year's First-Year Player Draft. 
"That was awesome," Thompson said. "I'm super proud of him and where he's at and I'm excited to see how his pro career starts." 

Mario Feliciano's one-out single in the eighth off Tyler Peyton broke up the perfect-game bid, which opened the flood gates for the Mudcats. Cooper Hummel singled and Ronnie Gideon worked a walk to set the table for Ryan Aguilar, who unloaded the bases with a triple to right. Robert Henry followed with an RBI single.