Castellanos, U.S. rout World in Futures Game

Kansas City, MO – Despite falling behind four runs early on, the United States stormed back to win its third straight All-Star Futures Game, 17-5.

Hometown hero Wil Myers, who plays with the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A affiliate, Omaha, played all nine innings and picked up a pair of hits and drove in three runs.

Tigers' prospect Nick Castellanos had three hits, including a three-run home run, as part of a nine-run sixth inning and earned the MVP honors.

Jonathan Singleton, who the Astros acquired from Philadelphia in exchange for Hunter Pence last summer, also picked up three hits for the U.S. squad.

The Rangers' top prospect, shortstop Jurickson Profar, blasted a solo shot to right field to open the scoring and give the World Team a 1-0 lead.

The U.S. Team was hyped for its pitching and trotted out Gerrit Cole, the first overall pick of the 2011 draft, for the second inning. However, the flame-throwing right-hander gave up two runs when Jae-Hoon Ha of the Cubs' organization hit a two-run blast.

After Oscar Taveras knocked in a run in the third, the U.S. rallied to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning.

The big blow was a two-run triple off the bat of Billy Hamilton. Hamilton, who has 104 stolen bases in 82 games this season in the Reds' system, smoked a line drive to center field that Ha misplayed. Hamilton then distracted pitcher Chris Reed when Kolten Wong hit a comebacker, leading to an errant throw and a three-base error to score Hamilton and eventually tie the game on Myers' groundout.

With the score 6-5, the U.S. exploded for nine runs in the sixth inning. Five straight U.S. hitters reached base before Myers lofted a sacrifice fly to make it 10-5. After three more hits, Castellanos delivered the crushing blow, a three-run home run to cap the rally and give the U.S. a 15-5 lead.

The U.S. picked up a pair of runs in the seventh to cap the scoring.

A pair of Royals pitching prospects started the game for the two teams. Jake Odorizzi gave up the Profar home run, and hard-throwing Yordano Ventura tossed a perfect frame for the World squad.

One of baseball's top pitching prospects, Dylan Bundy of the Orioles' organization, picked up the win after throwing a scoreless fourth inning. However, he did allow three hits on the day.

Felipe Rivero took the loss after allowing two runs -- one earned -- in the fourth inning.

Much-heralded Mets prospect Zack Wheeler, who went to New York in the Carlos Beltran trade last year, retired the two batters he faced.

The U.S. has now won eight Futures Games, while the World Team has taken six.