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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 Jerseys Free Shipping . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Stitched Jerseys . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. https://www.fakejerseyswholesale.com/ . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. Fake Jerseys From China . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Wholesale Jerseys . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A year after Patrick Kanes career appeared in jeopardy because of a sexual assault claim, the Chicago Blackhawks star was named one of the alternate captains for the United States for the World Cup of Hockey.Its a huge honor for sure, Kane said. Its one of those things I dont know if I was expecting to receive that, but at the same time, I still think its a responsibility I can handle and hopefully take somewhat of a leadership role and take charge.The sexual assault case in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, was dropped Nov. 5 for what the prosecutor said was a clear lack of evidence, and Kane quickly put the off-ice troubles aside. He had an early 26-game points streak and became the first American-born player to win the Art Ross (top scorer) and Hart (most valuable player) trophies.Sometimes you look back, its almost like a blur, it went by so quick, he said. It didnt seem like it at the time but it was a really fun year.He had 106 points (46 goals, 60 assists) to become the first player to crack the 100-point mark in four seasons, and finished 17 points ahead of runner-up Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars.He was on a roll early, got his confidence going and never looked back, said David Backes, the Boston center and U.S. teammate.Along the way Kane might have grown up as well. The incident in Buffalo was the latest of several brushes with the law in his career.Im 27 years old. Im going to be 28 later this year; you want to maximize your potential, he said. You want to get all you can out of your prime while youre still young, maybe advance that prime into your later years too. Thats where my thinking is now.U.S. and Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella knew Kanes reputation but did not know him before the Americans training camp openeed Monday in the Ohio city.ddddddddddddHe has matured. We all see that, the coach said. A lot of things have gone on with him obviously. Just talking to with him one-on-one here in the past couple of days you can see the maturity.Thats why Kane was named an alternate captain, along with the Minnesota Wilds Ryan Suter, to captain Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks.I want (Kane) to take more responsibility now, Tortorella said. Hes ready for more responsibility as a leader of a U.S. team where before it was `Kaner, go play and hes really good at it. I think hes ready for more responsibility and Im ready to give it to him because he deserves it.The game has always come easy for Kane, who has won Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks in 2010, 13 and 15 and a silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. But last season he went to a different level.He was the best player in the league last year, Montreal Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty said. Not many people can play the game the way he does. Hes special.He, Kane and Pavelski form the top line for the U.S. and they need to come through for any chance of winning the eight-team tournament. The U.S plays World Cup favorite Canada in an exhibition games Friday in Columbus and Saturday in Ottawa.The focus will be on Kane but this time for a good reason.I sometimes catch myself over the summer saying, `OK, you did it once but can you do it again? Can you prove yourself again? Kane said. It gave me a little bit of motivation over the summer, a lot of motivation. I want to get back to the level, stay there and do it as long as I can. Its fun when youre producing like that on the ice. You feel awesome. ' ' '