Brian Dozier continues strong finish to spring

FORT MYERS, FLA. – By the time starting pitchers have their arms stretched out enough to begin the regular season, teams would like for their hitters to feel good about their swings.

So the Twins should feel good about where Brian Dozier's swing is right now.

The All-Star second baseman continued his roll on Wednesday as the Twins beat Toronto 4-3 at Hammond Stadium. Dozier went 2-for-3 with a run scored to lift his batting average to .346. Over his past four games, Dozier is 6-for-13 with five runs scored and two RBI.

Start the season. Now.

"I used to hate to go out in a basketball game and make all my shots in warmups," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It's just kind of one of those things, you go through your spring, and you get to where you are comfortable, and then you have to find a way to maintain and keep your energy up so you're ready to go."

Dozier, who will bat leadoff, looks ready to energize the Twins attack. He opened Wednesday's game with a single to left on the second pitch he saw from Blue Jays righthander Ryan Tepera. Joe Mauer later drove Dozier in with a single. It came one day after Dozier hit Joe Kelly's first pitch of the game for a home run during a victory over the Red Sox.

"It's all about timing in the spring," said Dozier, who added a single in the fifth. "When I can turn on heaters by not cheating to it and not getting beat by them, that's when I know I'm ready.

Danny Santana added a two-run triple — one of his three hits — in the second as the Twins took a 3-0 lead. Toronto came back with three runs on the fifth to tie the score.

Oswaldo Arcia's RBI single in the eighth scored Santana with what turned out to be the winning run. Santana raised his average to .357 as the Twins won their seventh straight exhibition game.

The regular season opens Monday at Baltimore.

Twins righthander Ervin Santana was sharp at times and shaky at others while giving up two runs over 4 ⅓ innings on six hits and two walks. Those runs lifted his spring ERA to 1.77, a reflection of how masterful he's been in his other outings.

Santana threw 73 pitches, which was about where the Twins wanted him, and said afterward he was ready for his first Opening Day assignment. Molitor said Santana is ready to throw 100 pitches if necessary.

Molitor sees several of his hitters coming around right when it's time to break camp.

"I'd rather have them swing well than still trying to find it," Molitor said. " And I think we have a lot of guys in that category.''