going deep

The Minnesota Twins don’t look to Brian Dozier to supply power, but all of a sudden he is doing just that. The former Southern Miss standout from Tupelo homered today in the Twins’ 8-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. That’s three in the last four games and six for the season from the 5-foot-11, 190-pound second baseman. (He’s got twice as many bombs as Justin Morneau.) Dozier’s average is still a disappointing .234 — which is what he hit last year during an aborted trial at shortstop — but perhaps the show of pop is a good sign. Dozier has hit leadoff the last two games for the slumbering Twins, who have won three straight and six of 10 to get to 33-36. That might be a good sign for former Jackson Mets infielder Ron Gardenhire, who is in the last year of his contract as Minnesota’s manager. Former Mississippi Braves ace Scott Diamond got the win today for the Twins and is now 5-6. P.S. Former Taylorsville High standout Billy Hamilton isn’t hitting much (.234) or getting on base a whole lot (.302 OBP) at Triple-A Louisville, but the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect has 45 steals in 52 attempts and 45 runs in 68 games. He also has a surprising four homers. … Quietly having a productive year is Ed Easley, the ex-Mississippi State star who is playing at Triple-A Reno in the Arizona system. The 27-year-old catcher is batting .331 with four homers and 26 RBIs in 41 games. He hit a pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam on Tuesday night. Easley, the Ferriss Trophy winner in 2007, has trudged through the minors since the Diamondbacks picked him 61st overall in 2007.