name-dropping

Here is a name to know today: Alfonso Soriano. He is the only American League second baseman to hit more home runs (39) in a season than Southern Miss alum Brian Dozier has hit in 2016 (38). Here’s another: Davey Johnson. He holds the all-time record for homers in a season by a second baseman (43). And yet another: Mark Trumbo. He is the only player in MLB with more homers (41) this season than Dozier. And still some more: Max Kepler, Justin Morneau, Bob Allison, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva. They are the only players in Minnesota Twins history with a three-homer game, a feat Dozier accomplished on Monday at Target Field. Killebrew holds the Twins’ single-season record with 49 homers, which might seem out of Dozier’s reach until you consider that he has hit 21 bombs in his last 35 games. There’s roughly a month left in the season. Alas, the Twins lost again on Monday, 11-5 to Kansas City, to fall to 51-87. “It would be a lot better if we were on the winning side of it,” said Dozier, who took an awkward curtain call after his third clout. P.S. Jarrod Dyson, the ex-Southwest Mississippi Community College standout, helped fuel the Royals’ win with three hits, three runs and a steal (No. 26). KC, the defending World Series champ, is hanging around in the American League wild card race.