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Scoreless Inning Streak Ends for John Gast

Cardinals prospect John Gast took a 29 2/3 scoreless inning streak (spanning his first five starts) into action tonight in Omaha for Triple-A Memphis and extended it to 32.0 innings before it was finally snapped on a little flair to right field by shortstop Christian Colon. The scoreless inning streak is a new franchise record.

Gast's final line was 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 K. He left the game in a 1-1 tie. The 6-1, 195-pound lefty, who topped out on the stadium radar gun at 91 mph, got a no-decision, so his record remains 3-0. His ERA now stands at 0.26.

Gast, 24, entered the night with 29 strikeouts and just seven walks, but he didn't exhibit that type of command tonight. His did use his famed change-up (Baseball America says he has the best change-up in the Cardinals system) to strike out Chad Tracy in the fourth inning though.

The frigid conditions probably had something to do with Gast's poor control. The temperature was 46 degrees at game time with a 40 degree windchill and it continued to drop during his outing. The wind was brutal as well.

Gast worked from behind often, going to three-ball counts to ten of the twenty Omaha hitters he faced. The four walks he issued were a season high.

Gast entered the season as the Cardinals No. 26 ranked prospect, according to Baseball America. His fast start with Memphis earned him the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April and he was honored as the PCL Player of the Week for April 15-21. He played for Florida State in the 2008 and 2010 College World Series.

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