The Twins took their three-game road series with the Royals on Sunday in Kansas City, as 29-year-old starter Samuel Deduno went 6.1 innings for his first career victory in a 7-5 Minnesota win.
Deduno looked visibly improved over this last two shaky outings earlier in the month and peppered the zone often as 73 of his 104 pitches went for strikes. Deduno's biggest push in the run support department came right away from the bat of designated hitter Ryan Doumit, who followed a solo home run in the second inning with a two-run single in the next frame. For good measure, the versatile Doumit stepped to the plate in the sixth inning and promptly smashed his second solo home run of the afternoon, capping off a day where he finished 3-for-4 with four runs batted in.
Minnesota's road trip presses on with a Monday date against the White Sox from US Cellular Field, a game that will open up the two rivals' three-game set. Lefty Francisco Liriano will take the mound for the Twins at a time when his name is firmly entrenched in trade talks around the country, and might even be suiting up for the final time in a Minnesota uniform.
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