back on track?

While Oakland has been pulling away from Texas in the American League West, Seth Smith has been feeling a little left out. The former Hillcrest Christian and Ole Miss star was in a career-worst 0-for-29 skid entering Monday’s game against Toronto. “Winning is nice,” Smith told mlb.com, “but you still want to be part of winning. You don’t want to just be the out in the lineup.” Smith broke out in Monday’s 9-4 win, doubling in the third inning and finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI. For the year, the left-handed hitting outfielder/DH is batting .250 with six homers and 33 RBIs for the A’s, who have won four in a row, seven of 10 and 19 of 30 to lead the Rangers by 6 games. Smith hit just .240 in 2012, his first year with Oakland, but had been swinging it much better this year. On June 23, he was at .284. However, his power has been down a bit. Smith hit 14 home runs last season and averaged 15 over the previous three years. Perhaps he has snapped out of his slump and the power will start to come back, as well. His last bomb was on June 16. P.S. Pittsburgh recalled UM alum Alex Presley, just in time for its huge home series against St. Louis, its National League Central rival. Presley was 1-for-4 with an RBI in the Bucs' 9-2 win on Monday night. Another ex-Rebels star, right-hander Lance Lynn, is slated to start for the Cardinals at PNC Park today in the opener of a doubleheader.