Snell extends scoreless streak
Rays' No. 9 prospect pushes run to 49 straight innings with no runs allowed
A Rays prospect has picked up where he left off from last season, and has carried it on in historic fashion.
Blake Snell, the Rays' No. 9 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has turned in 49 straight scoreless innings -- 46 this year -- dating back to last season.
Snell, pitching now for Double-A Montgomery, helped lead the Biscuits to a 4-2 victory over Chattanooga on Monday by throwing six scoreless. He scattered two hits, walked three and struck out six.
Snell was a first-round pick (52nd overall) by the Rays in the 2011 Draft, and is projected to reach the Majors by 2016.
According to Baseball America, Irv "Kaiser" Wilhelm owns the Minor League scoreless inning streak of 72 innings, which began in 1907 and continued in 1911.
More recently, Cardinals farmhand Brad Thompson threw 57 2/3 straight scoreless innings for the Tennessee Smokies in 2004.
For context, Orel Hershiser owns the Major League record for consecutive shutout innings at 59.