stepping up

In a really big game on Saturday at Globe Life Park, Mitch Moreland came up with a really big hit for the Texas Rangers. The ex-Mississippi State standout capped the Rangers’ five-run first inning with a grand slam that propelled them to a 7-0 victory over visiting Cleveland. The win clinched the season series for the Rangers (76-54), who are battling the Indians (73-55) for best record in the American League. Stay tuned there. Moreland’s slam was the second of his career and gives him 22 homers on the season, one short of his career-high. It came on a hanging slider, the first pitch the lefty slugger saw from Carlos Carrasco. “I actually told myself, ‘Treat it like any other at-bat,’” Moreland told mlb.com. It was just his second homer since Aug. 12. Indians manager Terry Francona called it a “crushing” blow. P.S. Former Ole Miss star Zack Cozart returned to Cincinnati’s lineup Saturday for the first time since Aug. 17 and hit his 16th home run. … UM alum Alex Presley was designated for assignment by Detroit; he was 1-for-5 since his call-up on Aug. 18. … With Adam Jones ailing, Baltimore has recalled Starkville native Julio Borbon for a second time this season. … Itawamba Community College product Desmond Jennings is expected to be released by Tampa Bay, but the transaction has yet to be officially announced. Jennings, suffering through a second straight injury-wrecked season, is a career .245 hitter with 55 homers and 95 steals in 567 games. At 29, he’ll get another shot somewhere. … Former Ole Miss star Lance Lynn threw three scoreless innings in his rehab appearance at Double-A Springfield last week. He’ll be in St. Louis soon enough. … Ex-Rebels standout Chris Coghlan is now on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa in the Chicago Cubs’ system. … Though there has been reported interest from “several” teams, ex-State star Jonathan Papelbon remains unsigned since being released by Washington on Aug. 13. He apparently is not going back to Boston. …. And down on the farm, Ole Miss product J.B. Woodman, drafted in the second round by Toronto in June, went 3-for-3 with a homer in his debut in the Class A Midwest League. He had been playing at short-season A Vancouver.