'Riders' Gallo reaches 40-homer mark again

Joey Gallo on Sunday slugged his way into an ultra-exclusive 40/40 club that has nothing to do with stolen bases.

The Rangers top prospect belted a two-run shot in Double-A Frisco's 6-1 win at Tulsa to become the first Minor Leaguer in more than three decades to record back-to-back 40-homer seasons.

"I don't really worry about the home runs too much -- if they come, then they come," Gallo said last month.

Ron Kittle last accomplished the feat in 1981-82 for Double-A Glens Falls and Triple-A Edmonton in the White Sox organization.

Gallo broke out of a 1-for-16 funk on Saturday, smacking a solo homer off Rockies No. 2 prospect Eddie Butler in the fourth inning of the RoughRiders' 8-2 win. On Sunday, he put the finishing touches on Frisco's third straight victory with a ninth-inning blast off reliever Kraig Sitton.

It was Gallo's 19th homer since a promotion to the Texas League and lifted him into a tie with fellow Las Vegas native and Cubs top prospect Kris Bryant for the Minor League lead. Gallo won the crown a year ago.

"To me, it's not important at all," he said earlier this season. "Honestly, I kind of want to get better every day. If the home runs are there and I lead [the Minors] again, that's great. If not, that's fine, too. I'm just looking to develop and be a Major League player."

The 20-year-old third baseman, who still leads the Carolina League with 21 homers, trails Corpus Christi's Telvin Nash by one for the Texas League top spot.

Rangers No. 2 prospect Jorge Alfaro and Odubel Herrera both had three hits for the RoughRiders, who won the South Division first-half title and have a two-game lead over Midland for the second-half crown.

Alec Asher (10-11), Texas' 13th-ranked prospect, allowed three hits and struck out six over six scoreless innings for Frisco.