Johnson's positivity pays off for Cougars

After multiple injuries, it could be easy for a player to get deterred. But for Pierce Johnson, his hamstring and calf problems have produced a more optimistic outlook.

"I'm playing a game for a job -- I cannot be happier," he said after Friday night's rehab start for Class A Kane County.

"Injuries are a part of the game and everyone goes through them. I did not necessarily have the best mentality for a while, but all you can do is be positive. I just put my head down and be positive."

The Cubs' seventh-ranked prospect yielded two runs on one hit and a walk while striking out six over seven innings in the Cougars' 3-2, 10-inning win at Beloit.

Johnson issued a leadoff walk to Melvin Mercedes in the bottom of the first, then surrendered his only hit of the night, a two-run homer by Jaycob Brugman.

"The guy just hit it really well," Johnson said. "I threw a fastball in and it came back over the plate. He hit it well. He beat me on my best pitch."

With a four-seam sinking fastball working, the 23-year-old right-hander induced nine groundouts, including three double plays, that kept the Snappers from touching second base again for the rest of his outing.

"I just tried to establish my fastball early and go to my breaking ball when I needed to. Because of all the ground balls and the confidence my defense was giving me, I was able to just throw strikes," he said. "I was moving on both sides of the plate and keeping it down for the most part, except the home run."

Selected 43rd overall in the 2012 Draft, Johnson did not make his season debut until April 22 due to a hamstring injury. He went 1-1 with a 4.39 ERA in six games, including five starts, for Double-A Tennessee before straining his left calf.

The Missouri State product was on the disabled list for a month before beginning his rehab stint in the Midwest League on Monday. After a second outing, he said the calf feels good and he's ready to return to the Southern League.

"It was just one of those things, just kind of a nagging injury that I had to take care of. Just a bump in the road," Johnson said of the calf problem. "I definitely have been stretching a lot more and making sure I'm prepared for every practice and every game, just focusing on being healthy."

In light of the injuries, Johnson said his family, coaches and training staff have pushed him to work hard and stay positive. Armed with that new mentality, he helped Kane County win for the first time in seven tries at Pohlman Field this season.

Cubs No. 16 prospect Jacob Hannemann opened the game with a single, stole two bases and scored on Yasiel Balaguert's single. Jacob Rogers also delivered an RBI base hit, but Brugman answered in the bottom of the first and the game remained deadlocked until the 10th.

Jacob Hannemann led off the 10th with another single, was sacrificed to second by Carlos Penalver and raced home with the go-ahead run on a base hit by Shawon Dunston.

Juan Paniagua (4-3) worked around two hits while striking out six over three scoreless innings to pick up the win.