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MINNEAPOLIS -- Sitting in his office about 10 feet away from the Kansas City Royals locker room, manager Ned Yosts voice was nearly drown out by the thunderous hip hop music blaring and the full-throated cackling from his players in the next room. The young Royals have good reason to celebrate these days. Alcides Escobar tied a career high with four RBIs on two doubles and Salvador Perez homered to lift the Royals to a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night. "Thats what we need," Perez said. "Have some fun and play the game hard." Danny Duffy (5-7) gave up one run and four hits while striking out three in 5 2-3 innings and Mike Moustakas had two hits for the Royals. Kansas City (43-39) has won three of four and is off to its best start since 2003. "Were very confident in what we have in the tank," Duffy said. "Weve got a great offence, great lineup. The defence is always flashing the leather. When we go out there and make pitches, its going to be a good night." Yohan Pino (0-2) gave up four runs and seven hits while also striking out three in 5 2-3 innings for the Twins. Eduardo Nunez had two hits and an RBI in his return from the disabled list for Minnesota, which has lost six of its last seven games to drop into last place in the AL Central. "Weve been facing some pretty decent pitching, and I dont know if its pressing," said manager Ron Gardenhire, whose Twins went 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position. "I just know were just not getting enough big hits right now. Were not putting any runs on the board. A lot of pressure on our pitchers to be really good." The Royals entered the night 3 1/2 games behind Detroit in the division and 1 1/2 games out of the AL wild card. For a team that has been endlessly rebuilding and hasnt made the playoffs since 1985, those are encouraging numbers as the season reaches its midpoint. They grabbed everyones attention with a 10-game winning streak that vaulted them into first place in June, but had lost seven of 10 games as the bats cooled off. The Royals signed 42-year-old Raul Ibanez on Monday, hoping he can help boost the teams scuffling offence and give a little extra support to a solid starting rotation. Ibanez broke into the big leagues with the Royals a decade ago, but hit just .157 in 57 games for the Angels this season. They had plenty of offence with him on the bench on Monday night. Pino was shaky early, getting tagged for a two-run double by Escobar in the second inning and an RBI-single from Alex Gordon in the fourth to fall behind 3-0. Perezs solo homer in the sixth ended Pinos day and the Royals took advantage of two throwing errors by second baseman Brian Dozier in the eighth, padding their lead with Escobars second two-run double of the game. "When youre not going good, youre not capitalizing on mistakes," Yost said. "When youre playing well, you do capitalize on mistakes. Thats exactly what we did tonight, which was big. Those were two big runs right there. Thats a lot of breathing room." NOTES: Twins GM Terry Ryan said prized prospect Byron Buxton is getting close to returning from a wrist injury that has kept him out for most of the season. Ryan said there still is no timetable for a return, but hed be surprised if Buxton wasnt back on the field sometime in July. ... Twins RF Chris Parmelee extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double in the fifth inning. ... Moustakas made two stellar plays at 3B, a lunging catch on a liner by Kendrys Morales in the second and a scoop and force out at 3B to end a threat in the seventh. ... Twins RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-6, 5.74) will start the second game of the series against RHP James Shields (8-3, 3.79). Josh Reddick Jersey . Horford is out 3-to-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle for the Hawks, who have won two straight and five of six games. Atlanta improved to 2-0 on the residency with Saturdays 93-91 triumph over Minnesota, as Ivan Johnson scored his teams final four points, including the game-winning free throw with 4. Craig Biggio Astros Jersey . He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season. http://www.baseballastrosproshop.com/justin-verlander-astros-jersey/ . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . George Springer Astros Jersey . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately. Brad Peacock Jersey . These days, just about anyone can get a taste of the friendship that has blossomed between All-Star Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City Thunder teammate James Harden, most famous in the past two weeks or so for the elbow to the head he took from the Los Angeles Lakers Metta World Peace.SHANGHAI - Graeme McDowell lost command of the HSBC Champions. At least he kept the lead.McDowell rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 10th hole Saturday that stretched his lead to four shots. That was his final birdie on a cold, grey afternoon at Sheshan International. He finished with a 1-under 71 and saw his lead dwindle to a single shot over Hiroshi Iwata of Japan.U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer (66) and Masters champion Bubba Watson (69) were two shots back.McDowell was at 11-under 205.He will try to complete a wire-to-wire victory for his first World Golf Championship. If Saturday was any indication, it wont be easy. Not only did he lose ground on the back nine by making mostly pars, several players got back into the mix.Rickie Fowler overcame a double bogey on No. 9 with a 32 on the back nine for a 69. He was three shots behind, along with Tim Clark (69). Ian Poulter wasnt at his best with the putter and had to settle for a 72, though he remained in the mix four shots behind with Thorbjorn Olesen (69).SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIPJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — John Rollins took a two-stroke lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship, birdieing two of the final five holes for a 4-under 68.ddddddddddddTied with David Toms for the second-round lead, Rollins had a three-round total of 14-under 202. He won the last of his three PGA Tour titles in 2009.William McGirt was second after a 66, matching the best round of the day. Jason Bohn and Lucas Glover were third at 11 under. Bohn also shot 66, and Glover had a 67.Toms and Canadas Nick Taylor were 10 under. Toms had a 72, and Taylor shot 70. After two bogey-free rounds, Toms bogeyed Nos. 4-6. He birdied Nos. 7, 10 and 18, holing a 31-footer on the final hole.MIZUNO CLASSICSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Laura Davies remained in contention to become the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history, shooting a 5-under 67 for a share of the second-round lead in the Mizuno Classic.The 51-year-old English player had seven birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima to match Japans Ai Suzuki and South Koreas Ilhee Lee at 9-under 135. Suzuki had a 64, and Lee shot 66.Davies won the last of her 21 LPGA Tour titles in 2001. She also has 45 victories on the Ladies European Tour, the most recent in the 2010 Indian Womens Open.Beth Daniel is the oldest LPGA Tour champion, winning the 2003 Canadian Womens Open at 46. ' ' '