Paul Sullivan: Pete Crow-Armstrong's 2-run home run -- his 1st big league hit -- fuels Cubs to 3-1 win over Astros

CHICAGO — “Where’s the phenom?” coach Willie Harris yelled outside the Chicago Cubs clubhouse Thursday morning.

Moments later, Pete Crow-Armstrong appeared from out of the blue and followed Harris down the tunnel toward the cages.

One of the most touted Cubs prospects in a room increasingly full of them, Crow-Armstrong went hitless in 14 at-bats last season after his Sept. 11 debut, then struck out in his first two plate appearances Thursday against Houston Astros legend Justin Verlander, making it 0 for 16.

But 7 1/2 months after that heralded debut, Crow-Armstrong made his first major league hit a memorable one, cranking a two-run, go-ahead home run into the right-field bleachers in the Cubs’ 3-1 win over the Astros before 29,876 at a sun-chilled Wrigley Field.

Crow-Armstrong’s teammates hugged him up and down the dugout like it was graduation day. He simply called the feeling “freeing,” though he downplayed his emotions afterward. Either way, he can relax now, knowing the first hit is out of the way and a bright future lies ahead.

“I should’ve done that before,” he said. “That was what everyone was encouraging me to do. My boneheaded self finally decided to listen, I guess.”

Crow-Armstrong was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday to replace Cody Bellinger, who fractured two ribs Tuesday when crashing into the brick wall while trying to make a catch in center. Manager Craig Counsell said “expectations are put on (top prospects) that frankly aren’t fair” and that Crow-Armstrong just needs to “be part of winning baseball” and do the small things.

“Today he made a big contribution,” Counsell said. “But he can make small contributions, and those will be enough at this stage of his career.”

Crow-Armstrong, 22, said he never listened to all the hype, which was magnified by Top 100 lists, newspapers, social media and by the Cubs’ TV station.

“We all signed up for this,” he said. “It comes with the territory.”

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