Dozier: HRs mean nothing if team isn't winning

Brian Dozier's 38 home runs are second best in the majors, just one shy of Alfonso Soriano's American League record for a second baseman.

To him, though, none of them matter if the team doesn't win.

"We're losing a lot of games, and that's not fun. I hate losing more than anything, no matter if you hit homers or not," Dozier told Phil Miller of the Star Tribune.

"It tastes a lot better at the end of the day when you go home, you have a cold one, (and) you know you just beat the Royals. That didn't happen."

In Monday's 11-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals, Dozier provided almost all of Minnesota's offense, hitting three home runs and contributing four RBIs. Of his home run total, 21 have come in games the Twins lost, a common occurrence given their league-leading 87 losses.

Dozier treated the fans to a curtain call after Monday's game, which he described as being less than ideal.

"It was kind of awkward," he said. "I didn't really know what to do, but at the same time it sinks in that, hey, even if you're on the losing side, you've got loyal fans who paid good money to watch us play."

The 29-year-old enters Tuesday as MLB's hottest hitter, with 10 home runs in his past seven games, along with a league-leading 1.6 WAR during that span. On the year, Dozier's 5.6 WAR is second best in the majors among second baseman.