CINCINNATI • After spending most of the afternoon on the end of the bench in the bullpen waiting for the chance to appear in Sunday's Futures Game at Great American Ball Park, it didn't take Cardinals farmhand Luis Perdomo long to get up to speed.
His first pitch was 95 mph.
His second 96 mph.
His ninth 97 mph.
Perdomo blazed through 2/3 innings of work for the World team as it trailed 10-1 to Team USA in baseball's annual showcase of young talent. The Cardinals' 22-year-old righthander threw 15 pitches and allowed one hit (a triple) while also striking out the last batter he faced.