the ballpark, the Twins have had 30 games delayed and

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy got exactly what he wanted to keep his hopes of a successful title defence alive in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.McIlroy completed a second round of 68 more than an hour before the leaders teed off and headed to the beach hoping not to be facing an insurmountable deficit over the last 36 holes.And although Sergio Garcia and Francesco Molinari both shot 67 to share the halfway lead on nine-under par, McIlroy had not given up hope of coming from eight shots behind to claim a fourth win of the season.If Im within eight or nine shots going into the weekend, I still feel like I have a decent chance, said McIlroy, whose opening 75 was his first over-par score in 29 rounds in the European Tours season finale, an event he has won twice and never finished worse than 11th in in seven appearances.Thursday was just one of those days. I was mentally very flat, still in holiday mode and not quite switched on to what I needed to do. I sort of turned it around today and hopefully can do the same over the weekend.Garcia carded six birdies and one bogey in his 67, which also featured a brilliant par save on the 12th after driving into a bush and being forced to take a penalty drop.I was fortunate a guy from the crowd found it for me and I was able to drop outside the bush, the Ryder Cup star said.I hit a really good shot from there with a seven iron and made a really nice putt. I had a good feeling on that putt. I felt like I was going to make it and it was one of those career fours.Molinari is enjoying arguably the best form of his career after winning the Italian Open in September, finishing sixth in the WGC-HSBC Champions and fourth in the Shriners Open thanks to a closing 61 in Las Vegas.And to make matters even better, the 34-year-olds older brother Edoardo finished joint second in the European Tours qualifying school on Thursday to regain his card for next season.He was actually disappointed not to win it but I told him not to be too greedy, Molinari said.Second is obviously very good for him and its nice to see him back. He did it last year as well but Im sure hell do his best next season not to show up there for a third time. It sounds like hes playing a lot better, so Im expecting good things from him next season.First-round leader Lee Westwood is a shot off the pace after a 70 marred by hitting his approach on the 18th into a water hazard, with Tyrrell Hatton, Joost Luiten, Charl Schwartzel and Bernd Wiesberger all on seven-under.Somebody clicked a camera on the right-hand side and put me off, Westwood said.It happens and you just have to regroup. The pitch shot in was poor, but it was a good two-putt.Im one off the lead and Ive got a good chance. Im happy with the way Im playing and trying to finish off the season strongly.Race to Dubai rivals Henrik Stenson and Danny Willett were both on three under after rounds of 69 and 70 respectively, although Stenson was more concerned with the well-being of a female spectator hit on the head by his tee shot on the 13th.It was a very unfortunate circumstance, said the Open champion, who leads Willett by 299,675 points.I flared my five-iron right and Im standing there thinking Is it going in the bunker or flying over the bunker? and next thing I see it go into the crowd.Unfortunately I hit the lady and she went down, but I had some reports later in the round that she was doing OK. Im just making sure that were going to get her details so I can send her something nice. Cheap Saucony Shoes China . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Discount Shoes China . 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Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. MINNEAPOLIS -- Like the rest of the Kansas City Royals, this season has not been a smooth one for Yordano Ventura.They started a series at Minnesota by winning the way theyre designed to.Ventura won consecutive starts for the first time in two months, Kendrys Morales homered in his return from a one-game suspension and the Royals beat the Twins 7-3 Friday night.Ventura (8-9) struck out nine in seven innings, allowing four hits, one walk and three runs, throwing 105 pitches.He pitched a pretty good game, catcher Salvador Perez said. I think he just left a couple of pitches up.Ventura led the Royals to their fifth win in the last six games with a well-located fastball and a sharp curveball.Just focus and concentrate on making every single pitch, said Ventura, who posted a 5.15 ERA in the first half and has a 3.26 ERA after the All-Star break.Miguel Sano homered for the fifth time in the last seven games and Brian Dozier hit a two-run shot, giving Twins starter Kyle Gibson (4-7) a one-run lead he took into the fifth inning. The Royals hit the ball plenty hard, but the softest one made the biggest impact.Perezs bat broke on a two-strike, two-out, two-run bloop single with the bases loaded the gave the Royals a 4-3 lead.I hit it pretty good, Perez said, laughing.Third baseman Trevor Plouffe awkwardly backpedaled for the slow-rising ball, but it cleared his head and landed in front of diving shortstop Jorge Polanco. Perez leads the team with 27 two-out RBI.Those are the kind of breaks that have been going against us here a little bit, manager Ned Yost said. Doesnt have to be pretty. It just has to be effective.Eric Hosmer and Raul Mondesi hit RBI doubles for the Royals, and Paulo Orlando combined an RBI single with two lunging catches in center field to take hits from the Twins, who have lost four straight games after winning nine of 12 prior to the streak.They can play defense. We know that. That hasnt changed, manager Paul Molitor said.The Royals are 6-1 against the Twins this season, with 12 games left between them. After a rough July that all but dashed their dream of returning to the playoffs and defending their World Series title, the Royals are 7-4 in August. Their starting pitchers have a 3.01 ERA.After using eight pitchers, includinng utility infielder Eduardo Escobar, and giving up 25 runs to Houston while being swept Thursday in a doubleheader, the Twins needed Gibson to go deep into the game.dddddddddddd He was removed two batters into the sixth.The right-hander hasnt been able to get in a groove this season, though. His first-inning ERA is 9.00, and he has recorded quality starts of six innings or more and three runs or fewer only six times in 16 turns. Lefties are hitting .330 in 188 at-bats against Gibson.They put the bat on the ball. Thats what theyre known for, Gibson said.Orlando is hitting .340 in 25 games since the All-Star break.SUMMER SWATSThe Twins have a major league-most 63 home runs in 42 games since June 26, and Dozier leads both leagues in that span with 15 of his 24 homers.WET WEATHERThe game started 50 minutes late because of steady rain that wiped out batting practice and lasted into the evening. This was the ninth weather-related delay at Target Field this year, a total of 11 hours and 54 minutes of waiting, plus a pair of postponed games including Wednesday.In seven seasons at the ballpark, the Twins have had 30 games delayed and 14 games postponed.TRAINERS ROOMRoyals: Morales returned from a one-game suspension served Thursday following his dropped appeal to Major League Baseball. Kansas Citys home run leader was punished for returning to the dugout following his ejection for arguing Aug. 2 at Tampa Bay about the strike zone.Twins: LH Tommy Milone was placed on the DL with left biceps tendinitis, the third pitcher shelved for injury in three days. LH Andrew Albers was designated for assignment after the game so the team could call up another reliever for the game Saturday.UP NEXTRoyals: Will keep RHP Dillon Gee (4-5, 4.54 ERA) in the rotation and start him Saturday, despite needing him in relief Wednesday in their 14-inning victory over Chicago. Gee struck out three in two perfect innings for the win.Twins: Will send RHP Tyler Duffey (7-8, 5.93 ERA) to the mound for the second game of the series, his 20th start of the season. He struck out eight in six innings for the victory in his last turn, against Houston. ' ' '