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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Gallo lights up Futures

Former Spokane Indian Joey Gallo, right, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the Futures game. (Associated Press)
From Wire Services

Texas Rangers prospect Joey Gallo showed off his power with a soaring two-run homer in the sixth inning to give the U.S. team the lead for good in a 3-2 victory over the World squad Sunday at the All-Star Futures Game for baseball’s best minor leaguers.

Gallo, who played 16 games for the Spokane Indians in 2012, hit a one-out drive to right field off Houston Astros right-hander Michael Feliz that was estimated at 419 feet. The 20-year-old third baseman for Double-A Frisco hit several other balls farther than that during a head-turning batting practice display at Target Field in Minneapolis.

The assumed successor for four-time All-Star Adrian Beltre with the Rangers, Gallo has 31 homers and 73 RBIs this season in 85 games. He followed a two-run homer in the top of the sixth by Javier Baez against Washington Nationals right-hander Lucas Giolito.

N.L. adds 4 pitchers

San Francisco’s Tim Hudson, Cincinnati’s Alfredo Simon, San Diego’s Huston Street and Washington’s Tyler Clippard have been added to the roster for Tuesday’s All-Star game as the National League changed about one-third of its pitching staff.

They replace a quartet of pitchers who started Sunday: the Giants’ Madison Bumgarner, the Reds’ Johnny Cueto, the Padres’ Tyson Ross and the Atlanta Braves’ Julio Teheran.

Uggla suspended

Dan Uggla’s future in Atlanta is in question after the Braves suspended the struggling second baseman for their final game before the All-Star break.

The team announced the suspension on its Twitter feed, with no further explanation. Manager Fredi Gonzalez also declined to elaborate when asked about the punishment before the Braves’ game against the Chicago Cubs.

“I’m not going to say anything other than that it’s an internal matter,” he said.

The 34-year-old Uggla has played sparingly since rookie Tommy La Stella was promoted on May 28 and is batting .162 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 48 games.

Clearing the bases

Babe Ruth’s 1918 contract with the Boston Red Sox has sold for more than $1 million, along with other baseball memorabilia up for auction in Baltimore. The contract was among about three dozen Ruth-related items up for auction Saturday night at the Sports Legends Museum a day after the 100th anniversary of Ruth’s major league debut. Ruth was born in Baltimore. … The Angels placed outfielder Collin Cowgill on the 15-day disabled list with a broken nose, and recalled infielder Grant Green from Triple-A Salt Lake.