Rene Tosoni | 
Much like tomorrow’s All-Star Game will show off the top talent in the majors, Sunday’s XM All-Star Futures Game served as a showcase for some of the top minor league players in the U.S. and across the globe.
And although the weather in St. Louis didn’t cooperate, and only a few thousand fans remained after a four-hour rain delay, those who remained were treated to an entertaining 7-5 World squad victory, shortened to seven innings, at Busch Stadium.
Canadian Rene Tosoni, a Twins outfield prospect, was named the game’s MVP after his pinch-hit, RBI double right down the first base line in the seventh keyed a four-run World rally to erase a 5-3 deficit. Cuba native Dayan Viciedo of the White Sox chain followed with a double for the final margin. Curacao’s J.C. Sulbaran, who plays for the Reds’ A affiliate in Dayton, pitched the seventh for the save. Taiwanese righty Chia-Jen Lo, an Astros prospect, earned the win with a scoreless sixth inning.
“I didn’t think I would get the chance, since we were down by two,” said Tosoni. “We were running out of time, but luckily we tied it up and I got the chance.”
In all, 12 countries were represented in the game. For many of the players, it was the first opportunity to play in a major league stadium.
The game began under a light rain, then was delayed after the World team batted in the top of the first. Junichi Tazawa of Japan was the scheduled starter for the World team. But after warming up, the Red Sox AA righthander did not return when play resumed four hours later.
Alcides Escobar of Venezuela also stood out for the World team with two hits and two runs scored, including an infield single in the seventh, on which Starlin Castro came around to score from second on an error.
U.S. team catcher Jason Castro pulled a three-run homer over the right field wall off lefty Luis Perez in the fifth, which had given the U.S. its 5-3 lead.
The World team has now won six of the 11 games in the series.
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[...] selected to the team were C Jason Castro and LHP Trevor Reckling who, along with Alvarez, represented Team USA in the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game. The Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate Charlotte Knights led all minor league clubs with three [...]