full speed ahead

Tampa Bay may have lost its way in the playoff chase this season, but the Rays appear to have found their leadoff batter for 2012. Itawamba Community College product Desmond Jennings continues to rake. He belted his fourth home run of the year in Saturday’s loss at Yankee Stadium and went 2-for-4 overall to lift his average to .338. In 21 games in The Show this summer, Jennings has posted a .424 on-base percentage, scored 13 runs, driven in 13 runs, stolen eight bases and rapped three triples. … Weir’s Roy Oswalt, whose first start back from the DL was shaky, pitched better for Philadelphia on Saturday, allowing six hits and three runs in seven innings of an 11-3 win over Washington. Oswalt (5-7) notched his first win in some two months. … Holds are sort of a ridiculous statistic, but still Pascagoula’s Tony Sipp did notch his 20th on Saturday, helping Cleveland nail down a 3-1 victory over Minnesota and keep pace with Detroit in the American League Central. … And former Mississippi Braves star Brian McCann might be back in Atlanta’s lineup today; needless to say, he makes a big difference, especially with his bat. It is fun to watch him hit.