Smokies' Soler homers in first game back

Jorge Soler is back and he let the Southern League know it Sunday.

In his first game since injuring his hamstring in May, the Cubs' sixth-ranked prospect homered and drove in two runs as Double-A Tennessee topped Birmingham, 9-1, at Regions Field.

After grounding out in his first at-bat and lining to third base in his second, the 22-year-old outfielder ripped an RBI single to cap the Smokies' five-run fourth. It was the first time Soler was on base in a Tennessee uniform since May 13.

After missing time during Spring Training with a strained left hamstring, he went 1-for-1 on Opening Day before straining his right hamstring. Soler was back five weeks later and went 7-for-23 with seven RBIs in six games before re-injuring his right hamstring on May 15.

MLB.com's No. 41 overall prospect rehabbed in the Rookie-level Arizona League, batting .391 with a homer and six RBIs in seven games before rejoining the Smokies.

In the sixth inning, Tennessee's cleanup hitter belted his first Southern League homer, a two-out solo shot off Barons reliever Bryan Blough.

Soler signed a nine-year contract with the Cubs in 2012, but Tennessee manager Buddy Bailey estimated that he's missed between 300-400 at-bats due to injury. Soler's 2013 season was limited to 55 games with Class A Advanced Daytona due to a stress fracture in his left leg.

Addison Russell went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts in his debut in the Cubs organization. Now the system's No. 3 prospect, the 20-year-old shortstop was acquired from the A's on Friday with infielder Billy McKinney (Chicago's new No. 9 prospect) and right-hander Dan Straily for veteran right-handers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel.

Russell hit .333 with eight RBIs in 15 games across two stints with Double-A Midland this season, missing time with a hamstring injury.

First baseman Dustin Geiger was 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs for Tennessee, while leadoff hitter Pin-Chieh Chen chipped in two RBIs.

Smokies starter Corey Black (4-5) yielded on a run on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts over six innings. The Cubs' 17th-ranked prospect is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in his last three starts.