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Rangers’ Joey Gallo keeps the undefeated train rolling, starts the Players League tournament 8-0.

Rangers’ Joey Gallo keeps the undefeated train rolling, starts the Players League tournament 8-0.

Tuesday began round 2 of the MLB: The Show Players’ League for Rangers’ slugger Joey Gallo. Joey came into Tuesday as the only player that went undefeated in their first set of games last weekend. Joey’s opponents came into Tuesday going 4-12 in their first set of games. Gallo took on Ty Buttrey of the rival LA Angels, Luke Jackson of the Atlanta Braves, Rhys Hoskins of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Eduardo Rodriguez of the Boston Red Sox. Overall, Joey outscored his opponents 27-9 in four games which finished with another four-game massacre.

Game 5: Rangers (Joey Gallo) vs Angels (Ty Buttrey)

It was a tough decision on who to start against the Angels’ reliever. Gallo went with Lance Lynn and retired the Halos 1-2-3. Buttrey followed by retiring the Rangers in order. However, in the top of 2nd, Lance Lynn got hurt and Gallo replaced him with Nick Goody. “MLB: The Show is trying to do me dirty,” Gallo said after the injury. Buttrey later gave Joey a fit after back-to-back extra-base hits, and a baserunning blunder aided Joey to get out of the inning unscathed. In the following inning, Joey took a quick lead on a Willie Calhoun solo home run, followed by a Rougie Odor two-run shot, and finished with a Hunter Cole solo home run. It was a tough start to the third after back-to-back hits, but Jose LeClerc got Tommy LaStella to hit into a double play, and Joey finished the Angels off and took the win.

Game 6: Rangers (Joey Gallo) at Braves (Luke Jackson)

After the Rangers loaded the bases, Jackson nearly got out of the inning. However, a throw home instead of a throw to second, which would have ended the inning, gave Joey an early lead. Luke answered with two straight hits in the second inning to tie the game at one. That was followed by a double play to get out of the inning. Gallo immediately retook the lead in the second with three straight hits and a three-run shot by Danny Santana off former Ranger Chris Martin.

Gallo went on a roll with another Willie homer and another Odor homer to cap off a seven-run second inning. Rougned Odor’s homer came off Luke Jackson himself (or virtually himself). Joey’s offense didn’t stop in the second with an Elvis Andrus 2-run shot off former Ranger Darren O’Day and a second Willie home run in the game to add another three runs. “Every damn player hit a home run.” Luke Jackson texted to Joey after the game.

Game 7: Rangers (Joey Gallo) vs Red Sox (Eduardo Rodriguez)

After Eduardo picked up his first win in an extra-inning win against Buttrey, he brought out Chris Sale to face Joey. Eduardo went berserk to start the game. A Mitch Moreland home run capped off a six-run first inning. Joey answered the bottom of the first inning, hitting a two-run home run with himself to cut the lead to 6-2.  After a scoreless top of the second, Joey picked up another run in the bottom of the inning to crawl within three runs. It came down to the bottom of the third inning. Gallo was inches from tying the game on an Odor double of the top of the right field wall, but it was Ronald Guzman to the rescue with a walk-off three-run home run. Joey Gallo overcame a 6-0 deficit to win dramatically. It was a fantastic game by both sides and congratulations to both Gallo and Eduardo Rodriguez. All I can say is what a freaking game, and Joey’s final reaction says it all.

Game 8: Rangers (Joey Gallo) at Phillies (Rhys Hoskins)

It was the first meeting for Gallo against a hitter in the tournament (previous seven games were against MLB pitchers). In configuring his rotation, Joey originally went with Mike Minor, but then changed to Lance Lynn by virtue of the Phillies’ lineup. Gallo began the final game of the night with another Willie Calhoun home run (4 total on the night with Willie). Jay Bruce nearly tied the game on a foul ball that had the distance, but Joey kept Philly in check with a scoreless first and second inning. In the third inning, Joey helped himself out virtually with a solo home run plus two sacrifice flies to extend the Texas lead to 5-0. Gallo brought out Jose LeClerc to extend the streak and worked to perfection. Joey Gallo shutout Rhys Hoskins. “Gallo is the best.” Rhys Hoskins said after the game.

Joey Gallo looks to extend his undefeated streak Thursday. Joey’s schedule includes Ryan Stanek of the Marlins, Bo Bichette of the Blue Jays, Gavin Lux of the Dodgers, and Carlos Santana of the Indians. It’ll be a tough go against Bo Bichette who’s 7-1 and has a reputation of being really good at The Show. But look at it this way, if Joey gets the job done on Thursday with another sweep, Joey will be forty percent of the way to a perfect 30-0 tournament and claim the top prize.

See how Joey’s four game sweep on day one turned out.

Credentialed Media Staff Writer covering the Texas Rangers for Dallas Sports Fanatic | 2014 University of North Texas graduate with a Bachelor's in Radio, Television, and Film. I talk about things. Find me on the tweeter @aplinckTX

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