Gallo Homers In Futures Game

Joey Gallo, a slugging Texas Rangers prospect, hit a two-run, sixth-inning homer Sunday that was the difference as the U.S. team beat the World team 3-2 in the Futures Game in Minneapolis.

The game for elite prospects is part of the buildup toward Tuesday’s All-Star Game at the Minnesota Twins’ home, Target Field.

The World team grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run by shortstop Javier Baez, of the Cubs’ Triple-A Iowa affiliate.

In the bottom of the inning, shortstop J.P. Crawford, of the Philadelphia Phillies’ Class A Clearwater affiliate, hit a leadoff single. One out later, Gallo followed with a home run to right-center field. Gallo, 20, has a combined 31 homers and 73 RBIs in 85 games this year between Class A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco.

The U.S. opened the scoring in the third inning. Left fielder Jesse Winker, of the Cincinnati Reds’ Double-A Pensacola team, doubled, moved to second on a single from right fielder Hunter Renfroe, of the San Diego Padres’ Double-A San Antonio affiliate, and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by catcher Kevin Plawecki, of Triple-A Las Vegas, a New York Mets farm club.

The winning pitcher was Jake Thompson, of Class A Lakeland in the Detroit

Tigers organization. He got the last out in the sixth inning and the first out in the seventh.

The last of 10 U.S. pitchers, Las Vegas’ Noah Syndergaard, threw a scoreless ninth to earn the save.

Michael Feliz, of the Houston Astros’ Class A Quad Cities club, who served up Gallo’s homer, took the loss.

Center fielder Dalton Pompey, of the Blue Jays’ Double-A New Hampshire club, and designated hitter Rosell Herrera, of Class A Modesto in the Colorado Rockies organization, each had two hits for the World team.

Julio Urias, 17, became the youngest player to appear in a Futures Game when he threw a scoreless fifth inning for the World Team. Urias pitches for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Class A Rancho Cucamonga affiliate.