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.