scatter shots

What a whirlwind of happenings on Saturday involving Mississippi-connected players in the majors. The scene-stealer was Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s walk-off pinch home run — first of his career — for Boston against heated rival Tampa Bay. Reports from the Rays say Desmond Jennings (knee) may be back mid-week. In Texas, Mitch Moreland hits the third of the Rangers’ three straight sixth-inning homers against Toronto. In Cincinnati, J.J. Hoover notches his first career win for the National League Central-leading Reds. In Miami, Gregor Blanco raps out three hits — he’s hitting .290 — for San Francisco in a losing cause. In Los Angeles, Bobby Abreu boosts his average to .291 with a 1-for-3 effort for the NL West-leading Dodgers against Houston. At Baltimore, Jarrod Dyson suffers a hamstring injury — he’s day-to-day for Kansas City — in an outfield collision. At Chicago, Tony Sipp gets knocked around in a late-game appearance for Cleveland, which is now just 1½ games up on the surging White Sox in the American League Central. In Atlanta, Mike Minor gives up another homer — that’s 14 in his last six starts — and Kris Medlen takes the loss as the skidding Braves fall into fourth place in the NL East. In Pittsburgh, Paul Maholm — five walks, four hits in five innings — can’t stop Chicago’s tumble, which reaches 11 in a row.