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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins have hit a bunch of home runs lately, a bright spot in a lost season.Hustle was the winning formula on Wednesday night.Miguel Sano legged out a couple of ground balls to create a pair of early runs before his RBI double tied the game in the decisive seventh inning, helping the Twins dodge a series sweep by beating the Kansas City Royals 6-5.We always talk about doing the little things right, said Brian Dozier, whose club-tying record home run streak ended at five straight games.Dozier, though, singled and stole second before scoring on Sanos double off Joakim Soria (4-8). Dozier also started a dazzling double play to finish the fifth inning, with a diving stop of Eric Hosmers sharp grounder and a glove flick to second base to get the ball out while he was flat on the dirt.Alex Wimmers (1-1) pitched a scoreless seventh in relief of Kyle Gibson to record his first major league victory. Brandon Kintzler gave up a two-out RBI single before finishing the ninth inning for his 14th save in 16 attempts.Sano beat a relay throw in the first inning to stave off a double play after his bouncer back to the mound and later scored on Robbie Grossmans single. In the fifth, the burly slugger ran fast enough after his routine grounder to be safe when shortstop Alcides Escobar threw high to first for an error. Byron Buxton raced home from second base to score on the play, touching home plate as he hurdled Sanos bat with a head-first dive to elude Buteras tag.I saw that play a few times where the runner stopped at third and he couldve had a chance at scoring, so I know Ive got to be ready every play and make sure I go full effort, Buxton said.First Sano. Then Buxton. The Twins were a blur on the basepaths.His speed paid off, for sure, manager Paul Molitor said about Buxton. Thats something we try to teach to be prepared to do if they make a mistake.Grossman and Buxton each homered for the Twins, who won for only the third time in their last 20 games.Thats part of baseball life. Sometimes you pitch good, sometimes not, Soria said.Kendrys Morales had three hits, including his sixth home run in the last eight games, and Drew Butera also went deep for the Royals. Danny Duffy struck out 10 batters without a walk over six innings, but the bullpen cost Kansas City an opportunity to creep forward in the AL wild-card race. The Royals stayed four games behind Baltimore, which holds the second spot.We had a chance to pick up ground, manager Ned Yost said. So that definitely hurts.MORALES OF THE STORYMorales, who also drove in a run with a fourth-inning single, went deep to lead off the sixth. He has a 10-game hitting streak, with 15 RBI and 17 hits in 42 at-bats for a .405 batting average during the stretch.LESSON NOT LEARNEDJarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando started the game with singles, but both of them were picked off first base with a quick throw by the right-handed Gibson, who had only six pickoffs in 93 previous major league starts.PLOUFFES FAREWELL?Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe was diagnosed with a strain of the intercostal and oblique muscles on his left side, his third injury this year to that area including a broken rib. With only 22 games to go, hes not likely to play again this season. Sanos presence means Plouffe might have played his last game for the team that drafted him in the first round in 2004.If it happens that that was my last at-bat, it would be pretty sad. I hope its not, said Plouffe, who is making $7.25 million with one more year of eligibility for salary arbitration. My No. 1 thing, if I had my choice, would be to be back here.LONG WAY, MATESThe parents of Twins rookie James Beresford traveled 25 hours from their native Australia to surprise their son in a touching moment outside the clubhouse before the game that the team arranged. The 27-year-old Beresford, an infielder, played in 1,070 minor league games before being called up on Tuesday.TRAINERS ROOMROYALS: Butera played behind the plate for Perez, who was out with a bruised right wrist after being hit there by a pitch the night before.TWINS: 1B Joe Mauer was given a day to rest his strained quadriceps muscles, an injury that has lingered for the last three weeks.UP NEXTROYALS: After a travel day, Kansas City plays on Friday in Chicago. RHP Yordano Ventura (10-9, 4.22 ERA) will pitch, opposite LHP Carlos Rodon (6-8, 3.90 ERA) of the White Sox.TWINS: Following an off day at home, Minnesota hosts division-leading Cleveland on Friday. RHP Tyler Duffey (8-10, 6.24 ERA) pitches for the Twins, against RHP Danny Salazar (11-6, 3.78 ERA) of the Indians. Asics Shoes Online Nz . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Discount Asics Shoes .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. http://www.asicssalenz.com/ . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Cheap Asics Shoes Online . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Asics Wholesale Nz . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Oklahoma City Thunder fans were understandably upset when Kevin Durant announced his decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors on July 4, going so far as to even burn his jersey.One fan, though, decided to take even more drastic action this week. Ryan Nazari of Edmond, Oklahoma created a Change.org petition asking for 1,000 online signatures to try to get the city of Durant, Oklahoma, changed to Westbrook, Oklahoma, in honor of guard?Russell Westbrook, who signed a contract extension with the Thunder earlier this month.In an attempt to muster up support for the cause, Nazari wrote:Ladies and gentlemen, the great state of Oklahoma has been betrayed. As many of you know, Kevin Durant has left our state, torn out our hearts, and left our beloved Oklahoma City Thunder in depleted shape. All of this after even being offered a cabinet position foor the State of Oklahoma.ddddddddddddIt is because of this heinous action that I believe the State of Oklahoma has a responsibility to change the name of the City of Durant to Westbrook, the man who is loyal, whom we believe in, and who will lead our team to glory. Yes, it is understood that the city Durant was not named after the evil Kevin Durant, but it is just another hideous reminder of what happened to our community.Apparently even the sight of Durants last name is too much for Nazari. According to this article in The Oklahoman, the name of the city is actually pronounced Doo-Rant, unlike the Warriors forwards last name.As of 10:10 p.m. ET Thursday, the petition was just 45 supporters short of its goal of 1,000. ' ' '