observations

The Texas Rangers are hot, and so is Amory's Mitch Moreland. The Mississippi State alum belted his eighth homer — and added another hit to lift his average to .313 — to help the Rangers win their fifth in a row on Sunday. At 34-26, Texas has the most wins in the American League. ... Pascagoula's Tony Sipp struck out the side in a one-inning relief appearance for Cleveland against the Rangers. ... Tim Dillard, the pride of Saltillo and Itawamba Community College, pitched a perfect 1 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the year as Milwaukee beat Florida 6-5 in an 11-inning contest. ... Ole Miss product Matt Tolbert, a backup infielder playing more regularly because of injuries in Minnesota, had a hit and two RBIs in a 6-0 win over Kansas City. Tolbert is hitting just .202, but the scuffling Twins seem to like his defensive versatility. ... Catcher Craig Tatum, the MSU product from Hattiesburg who was recently recalled to Baltimore, got a start — and a hit — in the Orioles' loss to Toronto. ... Boston called on Daniel Bard to nail down a save instead of Jonathan Papelbon, the ex-MSU star who blew a save on Saturday and also was ejected in an epic meltdown. ... Louisville's Marcus Thames is expected to be activated today from the disabled list by the Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. faces Philadelphia — and former Meridian CC star Cliff Lee — tonight at 6 in game to be televised by ESPN.