topped them twice earlier this season and brought a 6-2 r

MINNEAPOLIS -- Samuel Deduno had that ever-important command, of his fastball and his emotions. The key to keeping calm? "Oh, just breathe," Deduno said with a smile after he pitched seven sharp innings to send the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. One of Justin Morneaus two doubles drove in Minnesotas first run in the fourth, and Deduno took over from there. "Some guys really look like they think theyre going to hit it, and then all of a sudden it just kind of moves late on them," said Morneau, who handled more than his share of groundouts at first base during Dedunos outing. "He did a really nice job tonight. That was what we needed." Deduno (4-2) gave up only five hits and, more importantly, one walk. He struck out three and let only eight fair balls leave the infield. Jared Burton pitched a scoreless eighth and Glen Perkins notched his 20th save in 22 tries with a scoreless ninth inning despite allowing a walk and a double. The Twins even managed to beat Jeremy Guthrie (7-6). The right-hander topped them twice earlier this season and brought a 6-2 record over nine previous career matchups into the game. Guthrie gave up an RBI single to Oswaldo Arcia right after Morneaus big hit, but the other run he allowed was unearned. Salvador Perezs soaring home run, to the second deck in left field, was the only evidence of success by the Royals against the improving Deduno, who last year couldnt find the plate despite showing some potential with his lively right arm. "Everything moves. Just tough," Royals designated hitter Billy Butler said. "Hes got a good slider. Hard curve. Hes just real efficient." After shining for the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic in March, Deduno has finally found the control of his fastball that escaped him before. His career walks-per-nine-innings ratio was 5.2 entering this game, buoyed by the 53 he issued last season in 79 innings. In seven starts this year since being called up from Triple-A Rochester, Deduno has completed six innings with three runs or fewer allowed four times. "Hes got a really nice natural cutter that just bores in on our lefties," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We just havent done anything against him." Following consecutive singles to start the seventh, Deduno had runners at the corners with one out. But he struck out David Lough, celebrating the whiff with a slight hop off the mound at the end of his follow through. Then he got Elliot Johnson to ground out. "That was a huge sequence of pitches," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, adding: "Hes more in control on the mound. His windup, hes not falling all over the place." Said Deduno: "Tonight, everything was working." For a couple of below-average teams, this was a crisply played game befitting of the clear-and-dry picturesque summer evening. The fielding error by Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas in the seventh that loaded the bags prior to Pedro Florimons sacrifice fly, which came against reliever Will Smith, was about the only blemish. Lough, the right fielder, did his best to keep Guthrie in it by tracking down Morneaus two-out double in the corner and start a textbook 9-4-2 relay to keep Josh Willingham from scoring in the sixth. Guthrie lost his third straight start, but he could hardly be faulted for this one. He retired the first nine batters he faced and allowed six hits over 6 2-3 innings while striking out four and walking two. The Royals, who have won five of six against the Twins in Kansas City this season, fell to 14-10 in June. That was their April record, too, but that ugly 8-20 mark in May is what has kept them from seriously challenging first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Twins improved to 11-4 in their last 15 home games. NOTES: The Royals will send RHP James Shields (2-6, 2.92 ERA) to the mound Friday to face Twins RHP P.J. Walters (2-3, 4.88), who didnt finish the first inning in his last start, a loss at Cleveland. Shields has taken 10 straight turns without a win, despite a 2.87 ERA during that span. The Royals have won the last five of his starts, though. ... Twins DH-RF Ryan Doumit, whos also the backup catcher, handled rookie Kyle Gibsons pregame bullpen session and reported no problems with his sore right ankle. This was his third straight game on the bench. ... Twins CF Aaron Hicks, who began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester this week for his strained left hamstring, was scheduled to increase his playing time to nine innings by Friday. GM Terry Ryan declined to put a timetable on Hicks return to Minnesota. ... The Twins signed second-rounder Ryan Eades, a RHP from Louisiana State, giving them 23 of their first 25 draft picks under contract. ... Perez is 6 for 10 over his last three games. ... This was Guthries first loss in four starts at Minnesota. ... Lorenzo Cain hit the double against Perkins to snap an 0-for-18 skid. ... This was the shortest game of the season for the Twins at 2:29. Cheap Air Max Australia . -- Mississippis Andrew Ritter said his game-winning, 41-yard field goal felt good off his foot. Air Max Australia . Less than 24 hours later, in the same arena, he tried to recreate the magic of his all-time favourite player. Hilliard scored a career-high 26 points and No. http://www.australiaairmaxwholesale.com/ . Mako Vunipola was promoted from the reserves, with Matt Mullan called up to the bench on Thursday. "It is important that Joe is with his partner at this exciting time," England coach Stuart Lancaster said. Cheap Air Max . -- Terry Francona likened the atmosphere at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday to a playoff game in October. Air Max Womens Australia . "Ive still got it," Seattles ace said with a sly grin. Riding that fastball carrying a little more zip, Hernandez took a shutout bid into the ninth inning as the Mariners beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night. On the verge of a brilliant shutout and first complete game since Aug.NEW YORK, N.Y. - NBA referee Dick Bavetta is retiring after a 39-year career in which he never missed an assignment. Bavetta officiated a record 2,635 consecutive regular-season games after starting his NBA career on Dec. 2, 1975. He also worked 270 playoff games, including 27 in the NBA Finals. NBA president Rod Thorn says Tuesday in a statement that the league is "grateful for his contributions to our league, and we wish him the best as he enjoys his well-earned retirement.dddddddddddd" Bavetta, 74, also worked the 1992 Olympics, the first involving NBA players, and has officiated in leagues in New York and New Jersey. He is most proud of his streak, which last season surpassed even the 2,632 consecutive games played by baseball ironman Cal Ripken Jr. Bavetta says, "It really has been a great run." ' ' '